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BLIND   BARTUIEUS 


OR  THE 


STORY  OF  A  SIGHTLESS  SINNER 


AND 


HIS   GREAT  PHYSICIAN 


BY  EEY.  WILLIAM  J.  HOGE,  D.  D. 


PUBLISHED  BY  THE 
AMERICAN  TRACT  SOCIETY, 

150  NASSAU-STREET,  NEW  YORK. 


Entered  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  tlie  year  1858,  by  Shel- 
priN,  Bi^KE.MA.v  &  Co.,  in  tlw  Clerk's  Office  of  the  District  Court  of 
tlie  Soutliern  District  of  the  State  of  Kew  York. 

Transferred  to  the  American  Tract  Society. 


TO 


%\t  (§laiu  at  t|e  f  0r^  lesits  Christ, 


THIS   HUMBLE    ATTEMPT 


TO     COMMEND     TO    SOULS     IN     BLINDNESS 


HIS    GRACE    AND    POWER, 


ADVEETISEMENT. 

i^  BEGAN  to  write  this  little  book,  while 
Pastor  of  the  Westminster  Presbyte- 
rian Church,  Baltimore,  preaching  as  I 
wrote.  One  or  two  passages  as  to  their 
substance,  and  several  as  to  their  form,  need 
this  explanation.  These  memorials  of  a  joy- 
ful ministry  I  have  found  it  convenient  and 
pleasant  to  retain,  in  rewriting  everything 
with  what  pains  I  could  bestow. 


BLIND    BARTIMEUS. 


MATTHEW'S  ACCOUNT. 

XX.  29-34. 

And  as  they  departed  from  Jericlio  a  graat  multi 
tude  followed  Him.  And  behold,  two  blind  men 
sitting  by  the  way  side,  when  they  heard  that  Jesus 
passed  by,  cried  out,  saying,  Have  mercy  on  us,  O 
Lord,  thou  Son  of  David.  And  the  multitude  re- 
biiked  them,  because  they  should  hold  their  j^eace : 
but  they  cried  the  more,  saying,  Have  mercy  on  ua, 
0  Lord,  thou  Son  of  David.  And  Jesus  stood  still, 
and  called  them,  and  said.  What  will  ye  that  I  shall 
do  unto  you  ?  They  say  unto  Him,  Lord,  that  our 
3yes  may  be  opened.  So  Jesus  had  compassion  on 
them,  and  touched  their  eyes :  and  immediately 
their  eyes  received  sight,  and  they  followed  Him. 


8  BLIND   BARTIMEUS. 

MARK'S  ACCOUNT. 

X.  46-52. 

And  they  came  to  Jericho  :  and  as  He  went  out 
of  Jericho  with  His  discijjies,  and  a  great  number  of 
people,  blind  Bartimeus,  the  son  of  Timseus,  sat  by 
the  highway  side  begging.  And  when  he  heard 
that  it  was  Jesus  of  Nazareth,  he  began  to  cry  out, 
and  say,  Jesus,  thou  Son  of  David,  have  mercy  on 
me.  And  many  charged  him  that  he  should  hold 
his  peace  :  but  he  cried  the  more  a  great  deal,  Thou 
Son  of  David,  have  mercy  on  me.  And  Jesus  stood 
still,  and  commanded  him  to  be  called :  and  they 
call  the  blind  man,  saying  unto  him.  Be  of  good 
comfort,  rise  ;  He  calleth  thee.  And  he,  casting 
away  his  garment,  rose,  and  came  to  Jesus.  And 
Jesus  answered  and  said  unto  him.  What  wilt  thou 
that  I  should  do  unto  thee  ?  The  blind  man  said 
unto  Him,  Lord,  that  I  might  receive  my  ^ight.  And 
Jesus  said  unto  him.  Go  thy  way ;  thy  faith  hath 
made  thee  whole.  And  immediately  he  received 
his  sight,  and  followed  Jesus  in  the  way. 


BLIND   BARTIMEUS.  9 

LUKE'S  ACCOUNT. 

xviii.  35-43.  ' 

And  it  came  to  pass,  that  as  He  was  come  nigh 
unto  Jericho,  a  certain  blind  man  sat  by  the  way  side 
begging ;  and  hearing  the  multitude  pass  by,  he 
asked  what  it  meant.  And  they  told  him,  that  Jesus 
of  Nazareth  passeth  by.  And  he  cried,  saying,  Jesus, 
thou  Son  of  David,  have  mercy  on  me.  And  they 
which  went  before  rebuked  him,  that  he  should  hold 
his  peace :  but  he  cried  so  much  the  more,  Thou  Son 
of  David,  have  mercy  on  me.  And  Jesus  stood  and 
commanded  him  to  be  brought  unto  Him :  and  when 
he  was  come  near,  He  asked  him,  saying.  What  wilt 
thou  that  I  shall  do  unto  thee  ?  And  he  said,  Lord, 
that  I  may  receive  my  sight.  And  Jesus  said  unto 
him.  Receive  thy  sight :  thy  faith  hath  saved  thee. 
And  immediately  he  received  his  sight,  and  followed 
him,  glorifying  God  :  and  all  the  people,  when  they 
saw  it,  gave  praise  unto  God. 


10  BLIND   BARTIMEUS 


THE  FULL  NARRATIVE, 

COMPILED    FROM    THE    THREE    EVANGELISTS. 

And  tbey  came  to  Jericho :  and  as  He  went  out  of 
Jericho  with  His  disciples  and  a  great  number  of 
people,  bhnd  Bartimeus,  the  son  of  Timseus,  sat  by 
the  highway  side  begging.  And  hearing  the  multi- 
tude pass  by,  he  asked  what  it  meant;  and  they  told 
him  that  Jesus  of  Nazareth  passeth  by.  And  when 
he  heard  that  it  was  Jesus  of  Nazareth,  he  began  to 
cry  out,  and  say,  "Jesus,  Thou  Son  of  David,  havo 
mercy  on  me  1  0  Lord,  Thou  Son  of  David,  have 
mercy  on  me  !"  And  many — they  which  went  be- 
fort! — rebuked  liim,  and  charged  him  that  he  should 
hold  his  j^eace.  But  he  cried  the  more,  the  more  a 
great  deal,  "  O  Lord,  Thou  Son  of  David,  have  mercy 
on  me !" 

And  Jesus  stood  still,  and  called  him.  He  also 
commanded  him  to  be  called,  and  even  to  be  brought 
unto  Him. 

And  they  call  the  blind  man,  saying  unto  him, 
''  Be  of  sfood  comfort !     Rise  !      He  calleth  thee  !" 


BLIND  BARTIMEUS,  11 

And  he,  casting  away  his  garment,  rose  and  came  to 
Jesus. 

And  when  he  was  come  near,  Jesus  asked  him, 
saying,  "  What  wilt  thou  that  I  should  do  unto  thee  ?" 
The  blind  man  answered  and  said  unto  Him,  "  Lord, 
that  I  might  receive  my  sight !"  So  Jesus  had  com- 
passion, and  touched  his  eyes,  and  said  unto  him, 
"  Receive  thy  sight !  Go  thy  way  :  thy  faith  hatli 
saved  thee." 

And  immediately  he  received  his  sight,  and  fol- 
lowed Jesus  in  the  way,  glorifying  God.  And  all 
the  peo2')le,  when  they  saw  it,  gave  praise,  unto  God. 


)ATTHEW,  Mark,  and  Luke  all  give 
this  story,  but  with  some  variations. 
Indeed,  there  are  two  things  which 
look  like  contradictions.  In  Luke  we 
read  that  the  miracle  was  wrought  as 
Jesus  was  come  nigh  unto  Jericho,  while  Mat- 
thew and  Mark  agree  that  it  was  as  He  went 
out  of  the  city.  Agaui.  Matthew  says  two 
blind  men  were  healed,  while  Mark  and  Luke 
speak  of  but  one. 

Matthew  Henry  gives  a  very  short  answer 
to  the  second  difficulty.  "  If  there  were  two," 
he  says,  "there  was  one."  In  this  he  but  ex- 
presses, in  his  quaint  way,  the  well-known  rule 
of  interpretation  that,  where  several  historians 
narrate  the  same  event,  it  is  no  contradiction 
for  one  to  give  incidents  about  which  others 
are  silent.  If,  indeed,  the  number  is  an  es- 
sential element  in  the  narrative,  it  must  be 
given  with  accuracy.  If  .'i  general  won  a 
2 


14  INTRODUCTION. 

battle  with  ten  thousand  men,  he  would  be  a 
false  historian  who  should  say  he  won  it  with 
five  thousand.  But  if  one  historian  should 
tell  us  of  a  great  captain's  fighting  two  battles 
the  same  day,  it  would  be  no  impeachment  of 
his  veracity,  if  another  chronicler  should  tell 
us  of  but  one  of  these  battles.  One  might  be 
so  insignificant  that  it  would  be  lost  in  the 
greatness  of  the  other  ;  or  it  might  not  concern 
the  special  design  of  one  of  the  narratives  ;  or 
any  similar  reason  might  prevail.  And  surely 
the  number  is  not  the  great  thing  here.  Christ 
healed  such  multitudes  that,  in  any  given  case, 
it  is  a  small  matter  to  the  gospel  narrative 
whether  He  healed  one  or  more.  Amid  the 
gracious  prodigality  of  His  miracles,  there  may 
well  be  a  noble  negligence,  on  the  part  of  His 
biographers,  as  to  the  exact  number  He  cured. 
The  great  thing  is,  that  B[e  healed  at  all  mal- 
adies incurable  by  any  power  but  divine. 
And  one  Evangelist  might  often  have  special 
reasons  (as  Mark,  perhaps,  in  this  case,)  for 
relating  only  the  more  conspicuous  and  im- 
portant cure.  Why  should  any  one  feel  a  dif- 
ficulty when  Luke  simply  tells  us  that,  when 


INTRODUCTION.  15 

Uhnst  was  near  Jcriclio,  He  wrought  so  illus- 
trious a  miracle  as  giving  sight  to  a  blind 
man ;  and  Mark,  writing,  perhaps,  to  some 
who  would  be  especially  interested  to  know 
this,  says  that  "  the  son  of  Timeus,  blind  Bar- 
timeus" — a  man  widely  known,  it  may  be — on 
that  day  received  his  sight ;  while  Matthew 
tells  us  that,  on  that  blessed  day,  two  souls 
were  made  glad  by  the  healing  word  of  Christ? 

Thus  the  seeming  contradiction  vanishes, 
and  turns  rather  into  a  confirmation  of  the 
truth  and  independence  of  the  narratives.  An 
impostor  would  have  avoided  this. 

The  other  difficulty  remains.  Matthew  and 
Mark  say  the  cure  was  performed  as  He  left 
the  city ;  Luke,  as  He  came  near  it.  How 
shall  these  statements  be  reconciled  ? 

Several  solutions  have  been  proposed,  of 
which  I  think  the  following  is  the  best. 

One  blind  man  cried  to  Christ  as  He  was 
going  into  Jericho,  but  was  not  cured  until, 
joining  himself  to  a  companion  in  blindness, 
they  cried  together  to  Him  as  He  was  leaving 
the  city.  Luke,  however,  having  begun  the 
narrative  where  the  first  man  cried  out,  carries 


16  INTEODUCTION. 

it  on  to  the  end  without  interruption.  All 
historians  do  this.  Thej  constantly  relate 
events  which  run  through  months  or  even 
years,  never  breaking  the  thread  of  their  nar- 
rative by  even  an  allusion,  meantime,  to  what- 
ever else  is  taking  place.  In  this  case  the  story 
of  the  blind  man  begins  on  one  side  of  the  city, 
as  Christ  is  going  in,  and  ends  on  the  other,  as 
He  is  going  out ;  while  in  the  city  His  visit  to 
Zaccheus  is  to  be  related.*  Now  three  courses 
are  possible  to  the  narrator.  He  may  begin 
with  what  took  place  as  Christ  drew  near  the 
city,  and  tell  that  story  to  its  end.  and  then 
tell  what  occurred  in  the  cit3^  This  is  what 
Luke  'does.  Or  commencing  with  what  began 
on  one  side  of  the  city  and  ended  on  the  other, 
he  may  suddenly  check  his  narrative  to  tell 
of  Zaccheus,  and  then  go  on  again  with  his  ac- 
' count  of  the  blind  men.  But  this  would  sac- 
rifice our  pleasure  in  the  separate  and  undis- 
turbed beauty  of  each  picture,  merely  to  secure 
what  Trench  well  calls  a  "  painful  accuracy." 
Or,  finally,  he  may  refuse  to  begin  the  first 
story  until  he  comes  where  the  most  important 

'  Luke,  xix.  1-10. 


INTRODUCTION.  17 

part  of  it  took  place,  namely,  the  actual  heal- 
ing of  the  men,  as  Christ  was  leaving  Jericho. 
This  is  what  Matthew  and  Mark  do. 

Like  the  other,  this  seeming  discrepancy  lies 
too  much  on  the  surface  for  the  work  of  an 
impostor.  He  would  have  made  his  three  nar- 
ratives harmonize  more  easily,  lest  any  should 
reject  them.  If  the  Gospels  were  cunningly 
devised  fables,  there  would  be  contradictions 
indeed,  but  not  like  these.  They  would  not 
lie  on  the  surface,  readily  detected,  and  avoided 
as  readily ;  but  in  the  very  depth  and  heart 
of  things,  hard  perhaps  to  discern,  and  impos- 
sible to  reconcile.  Gaining  easy  triumphs  for 
a  time,  such,  narratives  would  be  utterly  over- 
whelmed at  length.  But  true  men  write  with 
an  unconscious  variety  and  naturalness,  which 
looks  at  first  like  contradiction,  but  which, 
more  closely  questioned,  gives  out  a  deeper 
testimony  for  independence  and  integrity. 

I  wish  now  to  say  something  of  the  relation 
of  Christ's  miracles  to  things  more  purely  spir- 
itual, that  I  may  at  once  guard  and  justify  the 
2 


18  INTRODUCTION. 

use  I  intend  to  make  of  the  record  of  tlie  heal 
ing  of  blind  Bartimeus. 

1.  I  do  not  suppose  a  double  sense,  as  it  ib 
called,  in  whicli  tbe  words  liave,  besides  the 
obvious  meaning  wbicb  we  would  give  tliem 
in  other  books,  a  hidden,  sjDiritual  meaning, 
which  we  must  task  our  ingenuity  to  search 
out.  This  theory  is  without  foundation,  and 
opens  a  wide  door  for  every  fancy  and  heresy. 
The  words  have  but  one  sense.  They  are 
simply  a  record  of  a  miracle  of  healing. 

2.  But  the  miracles  of  the  New  Testament 
are  miracles  of  grace.  They  are  not  mere  signs 
and  wonders.  Power  is  not  their  ch  ief  element. 
They  are  essentially  redemptive, — works  of 
God's  forgiving  and  restoring  love.  They 
are  not  meant  merely  to  astonish,  much  less  to 
terrify.  They  bless,  and  curse  not ;  bringing 
no  fi.i'C  from  heaven'  but  that  which  relumes 
the  extinguished  lamp  of  life  ;  and  dealing 
with  lepros}^,  blindness,  and  pain,  only  that 
they  may  drive  them  away.  They  are  not 
even  mere  proofs  of  a  divine  mission.  They 
do  not,  like  the  Magi,  come  from  some  far-off 

'   Luke,  ix.  54-56. 


INTRODUCTION.  19 

region,  and  having  offered  their  incense  to 
Christ,  pass  away  again  to  be  seen  no  more/ 
They  all  speak  the  language  of  Canaan,^  and, 
with  heavenly  tongue,  bear  witness  that  Jesus 
is  the  Son  of  God,'  wUile,  as  sons,  they  have 
the  freedom  of  His  house,  and  abide  with  Him 
forever.*  They  prove  His  mission  chiefl}'  as 
they  themselves  are  a  part  of  it.  They  estab- 
lish His  Messiahship  by  exemplifying  it.  To 
men  doubting  and  jDerishing  they  bring  heavy 
clusters  from  that  Eshcol,  whose  reality  and 
surpassing  fruitfulneas  they  would  demon- 
strate.* 

Ages  ago,  Augustine  expressed  this  thought 
with  much  beauty.  Speaking  of  the  miracles, 
he  says,  "  Our  Lord  and  Saviour  Jesus  Christ 
is  the  Physician  of  our  eternal  health,  and  to 
this  end  He  took  the  weakness  of  our  nature, 
that  our  weakness  might  not  last  forever." 
And  Trench  finely  calls  them  "  miracles  of 
the  Incarnation, — of  the  Son  of  God,  who  had 
taken  our  flesh,  and  taking  would  heal  it." 
lUius  is  every  miracle  of  Christ,  as  he  says 

'  Mat.,  ii.  1,  11,  12.    2  isa.,  xix.  18.    3  John,  v.  36  ;  xx.  30,  31. 
*  John,  viii.  35.  3  Numb.,  siii.  23. 


20  INTRODUCTION. 

again,  "  an  index  and  prophecy  of  the  inner 
work  of  man's  deliverance."  "  In  each  of  them 
the  word  of  salvation  is  incorporated  in  an  act 
of  salvation," 

Sin  has  cursed  not  only  man's  soul  but  his 
body,*  and  there  is  a  fearful  analogy  between 
the  diseases,  distortions,  and  ruins  of  the  body, 
and  the  deformities  and  corruptions  of  the 
soul.  Therefore  when  we  see  our  Saviour 
manifesting  His  healing  grace  in  repairing  the 
ravages  which  the  Destroyer  has  made  on  man's 
body,  we  can  not  fail  also  to  have  new  and 
deeper  insight  into  His  redeeming  work  on 
man's  spirit.  And  it  would  be  wonderful, 
when  this  is  so,  if  some  of  the  records  of  these 
gracious  healings  should  not  be,  throughout, 
aptest  illustrations  of  a  sinner's  restoration  by 
the  power  and  grace  of  Jesus. 

3.  Again,  great  principles  are  often  contained 
in  these  narratives,  which  are  of  universal  ap- 
plication. If  we  see  that  the  vilest  have  free 
access  to  Jesus ;  that  He  heals  the  wretched 
without  price,  of  His  own  pure  grace ;  that 
importunity  ever  gains  its  point;  that  every 

'  Gen.,  iii.  16-19. 


INTIIODUCTION.  21 

thing  depends  on  faith  ;  that  the  largest  faith  is 
ever  most  applauded  and  most  blessed ;  that  no 
disease  is  beyond  His  power ;  that  these  and 
many  such  things  are  true  in  these  miracles  of 
bodily  healing,  then  do  we  as  surely  know 
that  we  may  rest  confidently  upon  them,  when 
we  go  to  Hira  in  the  deeper  unworthiness  of 
sin,  and  with  the  more  awful  maladies  of  our 
souls  !^ 

-   Mat.,  ix.  6,  35  ;^uko,  vii.  19-23. 


BLIND    BARTIME  US. 


"And  they  came  to  Jericho;  and  as  He  went  out  of  Jericho 
with  His  disciples,  and  a  great  number  of  people,  blind 
Bartimeus,  the  sou  of  Timeus,  sat  by  the  highway  side, 
begging." 

v'f^HAT  a  sad  sight  is  this !  A  bhnd 
beggar  sitting  by  the  way  side !  His 
clothes  are  tattered  and  filthy.  His 
face  is  burned  by  many  a  sun,  and 
browned  by  many  a  rude  wind,  and 
furrowed  with  many  a  wrinkle,  making  chan- 
nels for  tears,  and  writing  histories  of  sor- 
row. His  hand  still  grasps  his  long  staff, — 
his  only  support  and  guide,  as  every  morning 
he  gropes  his  way  from  his  hovel  to  his  accus- 
tomed haunt  on  this  high  road  to  Jerusalem. 
He  has  taken  his  seat  on  the  well-worn  stone 
under  the  palm-tree,  and  now  he  waits  patiently 


24  BLIND   BAKTIMEUS. 

in  the  grateful  shade  for  some  passing  trav- 
eler from  whom  he  may  ask  an  alms ;  for  on 
the  chance  pittance  of  charity  he  must  live. 
Unhappy  man,  if  he  has  a  wife  and  children 
depending  on  this  slender,  precarious  support ! 
More  unhappy,  if  he  must  bear  his  dark  life 
alone ! 

Is  he  man  as  God  made  him  ?  Is  that  the 
divine  image  ?  Is  he  possessor  and  lord  of  the 
world  ?  Where  is  the  dignity  and  might,  the 
kingly  dominion  and  grandeur  of  the  earth's 
ancient  ruler  ?  Oh,  how  changed,  how  fallen, 
how  lost !  Poor  Bartimeus,  sad  picture  of  all 
thy  race  !  In  thee  I  see  myself  and  every 
brother,  in  our  estate  of  nature.  Image  of  the 
unregenerate  man, — blind,  poor,  a  beggar,  and 
helpless  alike  in  wretchedness  and  ruin  ! 

Shrink  not,  O  believer,  this  is  what  thou 
wast.  Shrink  not,  O  unbeliever,  this  is  what 
thou  art. 

Nay,  the  redeemed  friends  of  Jesus  will  not 
shrink.  They  have  long  been  accustomed  to 
gaze  on  this  sad  likeness  of  themselves,  and 
being  now  the  children  of  adoption  through 
grace,  they  still  gaze  upon  it  to  renew  repent- 


BLIND   BARTIMEUS,  25 

ance  and  humility,  and  to  adore  Him  who  has 
changed  it  to  joy  and  peace  and  eternal  hope. 
And  let  all  in  whom  Jesus  Christ  hath 
wrought  no  miracle  of  spiritual  healing,  look 
steadily  on  this  picture,  and  hear  the  voice  of 
God  saying,  Thou  art  the  man  !' 

I . — H  IS     BLINDNESS. 

Bartimeus  is  blind.  And  what  is  that  ? 
The  eyes  of  his  body  are  out.  He  sees  no 
light,  or  color,  or  form.  I  do  not  say  his  mind 
perceives  nothing,  or  his  heart  feels  nothing. 
His  wits  may  be  keen  and  his  affections  lively. 
I  only  say  his  bodily  eyes  can  not  see.  They 
are  blind. 

And  what  is  true  of  the  eyes  of  his  body,  is 
true,  0  sinner,  of  the  eyes  of  your  soul.  He 
could  not  see  the  natural  world,  and  you  can 
not  see  the  spiritual  world.  The  eye  of  sense 
may  be  bright  in  you,  and  its  vision  clear. 
The  eye  of  the  mind  may  be  bright  in  you, 
and  its  vision  clear.  But  the  eye  of  your 
soul  has  been  put  out.     It  is  bUnd. 

'  2  Sam.,  xii.  7-. 


26  BLIND   BARTIMEUS. 

You  see  I  speak  of  three  kinds  of  blind- 
ness. The  eye  of  the  body  may  be  out,  and 
we  have  no  name  for  the  result  but  blindness. 
The  eye  of  the  intellect  may  be  out,  and  we 
name  the  result  idiocy.  We  say  the  man  is  a 
fool.  The  eye  of  the  soul  may  be  out,  and 
God  names  the  residt  wickedness.  He  calls 
the  man  a  sinner. 

Think,  of  Bartimeus.  He  rose  this  morning, 
and  his  wife  blessed  him,  his  children  climbed 
his  knees  and  kissed  him.  They  ministered 
to  his  wants.  They  led  him  a  little  way  by 
the  hand.  But  he  did  not  see  them.  He 
knew  of  them,  but  he  could  not  behold  them. 
Their  smiles  or  beauty  were  nothing  to  him, — 
he  was  blind. 

Think  of  yourself,  0  sinner.  You  rose  this 
morning,  and  the  eye  of  your  heavenly  Father 
looked  upon  j^ou.  His  hand  led  you.  His 
power  guarded  you,  His  goodness  blessed  you. 
But  your  soul  did  not  see  Him.  A  vague 
idea  that  God  had  done  it  all  may  have  oc- 
curred to  you,  but  it  had  no  vividness.  He 
was  no  blessed  reality  to  you.  You  saw  not 
the  lineaments  of  a  Father, — the  loving  eye, 


BLIND  BARTIMEUS.  27 

the  benignant  smile.  You  saw  nothing, — ^your 
soul  was  blind. 

Think  again  of  Bartimeus.  He  went  abroad, 
and  the  rich  valley  of  the  Jordan  spread  out 
before  him.  The  stately  palms  rose  toward 
heaven,  and  waved  their  feathery  tops  in  the 
early  breeze.  The  gardens  of  balsam  were 
clothed  in  their  delicate  spring'  verdure,  and 
Jericho  sat  in  the  midst  of  these  vernal  glo- 
ries, deserving  its  name, — Jericho,  the  place 
of  fragrance,  des-erving  its  frequent  descrip- 
tion among  the  ancient  writers,— the  City  of 
Palms.  And  high  above  all  was  the  blue  sky, 
bending  over  as  if  to  embrace  and  bless  so 
iliuch  loveliness  of  earth;  and  the  great  sud, 
filling  earth  and  sky  and  balmy  air  with  glory. 

But  what  was  all  this  to  Bartimeus  ?  It 
might  have  been  narrow  and  black  for  aught 
he  could  tell.  It  v:as  an  utter  blank,  a  dread- 
ful gloom  to  hini.  All  was  night,  black,  black 
night,  with  no  star. 

Why  was  it  so  to  him,  when  to  others  it 
was  splendor  and  joy  ?     Ah  !  he  was  blind. 

*  For  it  was  at  this  season  tliat  Christ  was  then  going  to 
Jerusalem. 


28  BLIKD   BARTIMEUS. 

Unregenerate  man,  tliink  again  of  yourself. 
You  went  abroad  this  morning,  on  an  earth 
once  cursed,*  as  of  old  Jericho  had  been," 
but  spared  and  blessed  bj  redeeming  mercy, 
even  as  Jericho  was  that  day  blessed  by  the 
presence  and  healing  grace  of  Jesus.  Around 
you,  too,  was  spread  a  world  of  spiritual 
beauty.  The  wall-s,  and  bulwarks,  and  stately 
palaces  of  the  city  of  our  God  were  before 
you.  The  rose  of  Sharon,  the  lily  of  the 
valley,  the  vine,  the  palm,  the  olive,  and  the 
fig-tree  all  stood  about  you  in  the  garden  of 
the  Lord.  Through  them  flowed  the  river  of 
life,  reflecting  skies  more  high  and  clear  than 
the  azure  of  summer  mornings  ever  imaged, 
and  lit  to  its  measureless  depth  by  a  sun  more 
glorious  than  ever  poured  splendor  even  up- 
on Eden,  in  our  poor  world's  ancient  prime. 
You  walked  forth  amid  all  this  beauty,  and 
many  saw  it, — none  perfectly,  yet  some  very 
blessedly, — ^but  you  saw  nothing.  You  see 
nothing  now.  Nay,  you  can  not  see  it.  Strain 
your  blind  soul  as  you  will,  you  can  not  see 
it.     What  I  have  said  of  it  seems  to  you  but 

'  G«n.,  iii.  17,  18  ;  Rom.,  viii.  20.  '  Josh.,  vi.  17,  26 


BLIND  BAKTIMEUS.  29 

a  phantasy  and  rhapsody,  although  I  say  it  on 
the  awful  authority  of  God  in  His  Holy  Word, 
and  the  experience  of  unnumbered  children  of 
His,  who  are  witnesses  that  what  I  say  is  true, 
and  for  their  witness  would  dare  to  die.  Why 
then  do  you  not  see  it  ?  Ah  !  the  eye  of  the 
soul  is  out, — you  are  blind. 

I  see  a  beautifal  mother  gaze  anxiously  on 
her  babe.  She  is  trying  a  fearful  experiment. 
She  stretches  out  her  arms  to  it,  beseeches  it 
with  loving  looks,  holds  out  sparkling  jewels 
to  it,  and  flashes  them  before  its  eyes  in  the 
very  sunshine  at  the  open  window.  But  the 
little  eyes  move  not,  or  move  aimlessly,  and 
turn  vacantly  away.  And  she  cries  out  in 
anguish,  "  Oh,  my  poor  child  is  blind!" 

And  now  I  understand  why  even  tender 
children  turn  away  from  Christ,  seeing  no 
beauty  in  Him  that  they  should  desire  Him,^ 
and  caring  nothing  for  all  His  smiles  or  tears, 
or  offers  of  the  rich  jewelry  of  heaven.  They 
see  nothing  of  it  all.  They  are  blind,  born 
blind. 

I  have  read  of  a  man  of  old  to  whom  Grod 

'  Isaiah,  liii.  2. 
3* 


30  BLIND   BARTIMEUS. 

ha.d  given  great  might,  for  dignity  and  honor 
and  the  redemption  of  his  enslaved  country, 
who  made  unwieldy  mirth  for  thousands  of 
scoffing  Philistines.  He  had  come  from  grind- 
ing in  their  prison,  where  slaves  were  his  mas- 
ters, and  now  he  made  sport  in  open  day, 
while  the  uncircujncised  triumphed  and  jeered. 
But  he  saw  neither  the  dungeon  uor  the  day,  for 
they  had  put  out  his  eyes, — Samson  was  blind. 

And  now  I  understand  how  men  can  make 
themselves  the  slaves  and  scoff  of  devils,  as 
they  rattle  their  chains  and  dance  in  their  fet- 
ters, and  play  the  fool  with  the  high  powers 
God  has  given  them  for  usefulness  to  their 
fellows,  and  their  own  glory,  honor  and  im- 
mortality. In  the  daily  drudgeries  of  mere 
worldly  business,  and  the  occasional  levities 
of  mere  worldly  amusement,  they  are  alike 
represented  by  fallen  and  degraded  Samson 
in  his  blindness. 

I  once  saw  a  man  walk  along  the  edge  of  a 
precipice  as  if  it  were  a  plain.  For  any  thing 
he  knew,  it  was  a  plain,  and  safe.  He  was 
calm  and  fearless,  not  because  there  was  no 
danger,  but  because  he  was  blind. 


BLIND   BARTIMEUS.  81 

And  who  can  not  now  understand  how  men 
so  wise,  so  cautious  in  most  things,  can  go  so 
securely,  so  carelessly,  even  so  gaily  on,  as  if 
every  thing  were  safe  for  eternity,  while  snares 
and  pit-falls  are  all  about  them,  and  death  may 
be  just  at  hand,  and  the  next  step  may  send 
them  down  the  infinite  abyss !  Oh,  we  see  it, 
we  see  it, — they  are  blind ! 

A  blind  man  is  more  taken  up  with  what 
he  holds  in  his  hand,  than  with  mountains, 
ocean,  sun,  or  stars.  He  feels  this  ;  but  those 
be  can  neither  touch  nor  see. 

And  now  it  is  plain  why  unconverted  men 
undervalue  doctrine,  saying,  that  "it  is  no 
matter  what  a  man  believes,  so  his  heart  is 
right ;"  that  "one  doctrine  is  as  good  as  another, 
and  for  that  matter,  no  doctrines  are  good  for 
much ;"  and  that  "  they  don't  believe  in  doc- 
trinal preaching  at  any  rate."  They,  forsooth, 
they !  blind  worms,  pronouncing  contemptu- 
ously of  the  stupendous  heights  and  glories 
of  God's  revelation,  where  alone  we  learn  what 
we  are  to  believe  concerning  Him,  and  what 
duty  He  requires  of  us. 

It  is  plain  too  why  they  see  no  preciousness 


32  BLIND  BARTIMEUS. 

in  the  promises,  no  glory  in  Christ,  no  beauty 
in  holiness,  no  grandeur  in  the  work  of  re- 
demption ;  why  they  make  a  mock  at  sin, 
despise  God's  threatenings,  brave  His  wrath, 
make  light  of  the  blood  of  Christ,  jest  at 
death,  and  rush  headlong  on  certain  per- 
dition. They  are  blind.  So  the  Scripture 
speaks.  There  are  blind  people  that  have 
eyes.'  Having  the  understanding  darkened, 
being  alienated  from  the  life  of  God,  through 
the  ignorance  that  is  in  them,  because  of  the 
blindness  of  their  heart.^  So  there  is  such  a 
thing  as  heart  blindness,  as  well  as  blindness 
of  the  bodily  eye. 

Unconverted  men  often  say,  "  If  these 
things  are  so,  if  they  are  so  clear  and  great, 
why  can  not  we  see  them  ?"  And  there  is  no 
answer  to  be  given  but  this.  Ye  are  blind. 

"  But  we  want  to  see  them.  If  they  are 
real,  they  are  our  concern  as  well  as  yours. 
Oh,  that  some  preacher  would  come,  who  had 
power  to  make  us  see  them  !" 

Poor  souls,  there  is  no  such  preacher,  and 
you  need  not  wait  for  him.     Let  him  gather 

^  Isa.,  xliii.  8.  '  Epli.,  iv.  18. 


BLIND   BARTIMEUS.  33 

God's  light  as  he  will,  he  can  but  pour  it  on 
blind  eyes.  With  a  lens  you  may  condense 
the  sunbeams,  and  pour  their  fierce  glory  on 
the  eye  of  a  blind  man;  but  still  not  a  whit 
will  he  see.  Light  is  the  remedy  for  dark- 
ness, not  for  blindness. 

Neither  will  strong  powers  of  understand- 
ing on  your  part,  serve.  The  younger  Pitt 
once  went  with  Mr.  Wilberforce  to  hear  Mr. 
Cecil.  The  sermon  was  on  the  Spirit's  agen- 
cy in  the  hearts  of  believers.  As  they  were 
coming  from  church,  the  mighty  statesman 
confessed  that  he  could  not  understand  it  at 
all,  and  asked  his  friend  if  he  supposed  that 
any  one  in  the  house  could.  "  Why  yes," 
said  he,  "  there  were  many  plain,  unlettered 
women  and  some  children  there,  who  under- 
stood every  word   of  it,  and  heard  it  with 

joy-" 

Ah,  hapless  souls,  ye  complain  against  the 
gospel,  that  it  is  hidden  from  you,  as  if  that 
were  its  fault.  And  now  I  must  bring  forth  a 
dreadful  Scripture  which  will  open  the  mys- 
tery of  your  inability  to  understand  it.  Oh, 
it  is  a  fearful  word,  which  ought  to  make  your 


34  BLIND   BARTIMEUS. 

ears  tingle  and  your  heart  freeze  witli  terror 
as  you  hear  it ; — If  our  gospel  be  hid,  it  is  hid 
to  them  that  are  lost,  in  whom  the  god  of  this 
world  hath  blinded  the  minds  of  them  that 
believe  not^  lest  the  light  of  the  glorious  gos- 
pel of  Christ,  who  is  the  image  of  God, 
should  shine  unto  them.'  The  gospel  is 
real  and  glorious,  and  is  all  the  while  shin- 
ing on  in  its  own  divine  splendor;  but  you 
are  blind.  Satan,  the  old  liar  and  mur- 
derer,* has  blinded  you  lest  you  should  see 
this  blessed  gospel  and  be  saved.  And  you 
are  lost,  lost  already.  There  is  your  dread- 
ful condition,  and  therefore  you  can  not  see  the 
gospel ! 

Let  the  people  of  God  no  more  wonder  then 
at  the  clamors  of  infidels  against  the  Scrip- 
tures. Would  you  heed  a  blind  man  criticis- 
ing pictures,  or  raving  against  your  summer 
skies  ?  If  he  denies  that  the  sun  has  brightness, 
or  the  mountains  grandeur,  will  you  believe 
him?  And  if  a  hundred  blind  men  should 
all  declare  that  they  can  not  see  the  stars^  and 
argue  learnedly  that  there  can  be  no  stars,  and 

*  2  Oor.,  iv.  3,  4.  ^  John,  viii.  44. 


BLIND  BARTIMEUS.  85 

then  grow  witty  and  laugli  at  you  as  star- 
gazers,  would  tlie  midnight  heavens  be  less 
glorious  to  you  ?  When  these  men  had  thus 
satisfactorily  demonstrated  their  blindness, 
would  not  the  mighty  works  of  God  still 
prove  their  bright  reality  to  your  rejoicing 
vision?  Would  they  not  still  declare  His 
glory  and  show  His  handiwork  ?' 

And  shall  the  spiritually  blind  be  more 
trusted  ?  Shall  they  be  spiritual  guides  ?  No, 
the  weakest  believer  who  has  seen  that  the 
Lord  is  gracious,'^  seen  any  preciousness  in  tho 
promises,  any  beauty  in  Christ,  any  glory  in 
the  Scriptures,  may  chng  to  his  faith,  despite 
the  testimony  and  pretentious  sophistries  and 
wit  of  ten  thousand  infidels.  God  has  opened 
your  eyes.  Satan  has  blinded  theirs.  Your 
testimony  is  positive.  Theirs  is  negative,  and 
necessarily  worthless.  A  lawyer  told  his 
client  that  two  men  would  swear  that  they 
had  seen  him  commit  the  murder.  "Ah,  but," 
said  he,  "  I  can  bring  fifty  men  who  will 
swear  that  they  didn't  see  me  commit  it !"  And 
that  poor  villain,  guilty,  but  merry  with  his 
'■  Psalm  xiy.  1.  '  Psalm  xxsdv,  8, 


36  BLIND  BAETIMEUS. 

own  stupid  conceit,  is  a  fair  type  of  infidelity. 
It  can  bring  men,  in  great  numbers,  it  must 
be  owned,  vvbo  will  swear  right  lustily,  and 
with  no  little  cursing,  that  they  never  saw  any 
beauty  or  glory  in  ChrLst  or  His  gospel.  And 
when  they  have  wrapped  this,  their  whole 
testimony,  in  the  mists  of  an  unintelligible 
philosophy,  and  played  off  the  machinery  of 
an  historical  criticism,  which  can  prove  with 
equal  ease,  and  by  the  same  process,*  that 
neither  Jesus  nor  Bonaparte  ever  lived,  so 
that  man  has  had  no  Kedemption  and  the 
French  no  Revolution,  and  have  then  joined 
in  a  loud  laugh  at  the  deluded  "  saints"  who 
still  prefer  Paul  to  Mr.  Hume,  John  to  Mr. 
Newman,  and  Jesus  Christ  to  Dr.  Strauss, 
then  infidelity  has  but  one  thing  more  which 
it  can  do, — change  its  voice,  put  on  a  new  dis- 
guise, and  begin  again. 

K  these  men  be  followed,  they  will  be 
found  to  be  bhnd  leaders  of  the  blind,  and 
both  will  fall  into  the  ditch.'' 

'  As  Archbishop  Whately  has  shown  in  his   "Hiutoric 
Doubtf  Relative  to  Napoleon  Buonaparte." 
»  Mat.,  XV.  14. 


BLIND  BARTIMEUS.  37 

II.' — HIS    POVERTY. 

See  now  a  sad  result  of  tliis  blindness, — 
deep  poverty.  In  this  too  is  Bartimeus  an 
image  of  every  unregenerate  soul.  Both  are 
poor. 

When  may  a  man  be  called  poor?  Is 
wealth  for  the  body  alone?  Has  the  heart 
no  riches  ?  May  not  a  mind  be  impoverished, 
a  soul  be  bankrupt?  Ah!  yes,  there  are 
riches  besides  money,  wealth  to  which  gold 
and  rubies  are  as  nothing.' 

A  man  is  poor  when  his  need  is  not  sup- 
plied. The  higher  the  wants,  the  deeper  the 
kind  of  poverty  ;  the  more  the  wants,  the 
deeper  its  degree.  A  man  with  neither  food 
nor  shelter,  is  poorer  than  he  who  lacks  shel- 
ter only.  And  is  not  the  man  without  love 
or  hope,  poorer  than  he  who  has  merely  no 
fire  nor  bread  ?  Who  shall  deny  the  name  of 
poor  to  him  whose  soul  is  unfurnished  ?  What 
is  the  chaff  to  the  wheat,"  the  body  to  the 
soul  ?     Are  not  the  soul's  desires  larger  and 

1  James,  ii.  5;   Prov.,  viii.  10,  11 ;  Job,  xxviii.  12-19. 
'  Jer.,  xxiii.  28 

4 


38  BLIND  BARTIMEUS. 

more  insatiable  than  those  of  the  flesh  ?  Does 
Dot  the  heart  hunger  ?  Is  there  no  such  thing 
as  '•  a  famine  of  truth  and  love  ?"  Do  deso- 
late spirits  never  cower  and  shiver  and  freeze, 
like  houseless  wretches  in  stormy  winter 
nights?  Night  and  winter  and  storm — are 
they  not  also  for  the  soul?  And  when  it  has 
no  home  in  its  desolations,  no  refuge  from  its 
foes,  no  shelter  from  the  blast,  no  food  for  its 
hunger,  no  consolation  in  its  sorrows,  is  it  not 
poor?  poor  in  the  deepest  poverty,  which 
almost  alone  deserves  the  name  of  poverty?* 

How  much  of  such  poverty  is  there,  dwell- 
ing in  princely  halls,  clothed  in  purple  and 
fine  linen,  and  faring  sumptuously  every  day  ! 
How  often  does  it  walk  in  royal  processions, 
and  flash  with  jewels,  and  handle  uncounted 
gold!  How  much  in  the  circles  of  v/ealthy 
"  fashionable  life,"  as  it  is  called,  by  which 
weak  souls  are  so  dazzled,  and  for  which  weak 
breasts  so  ache!  Fashionable  life — with  its 
suspicion   and  envy  and  falsehood;   its  little 

'  "  That  man  only  is  poor  in  this  world,  who  lives  without 
Jesus ;  and  that  man  only  is  rich  with  whom  Jesus  delighta 
to  dwell." — Thomas  A  Kempis. 


BLIND  BARTIMEUS.  39 

meannesses  and  splendid  cheats ;  its  magnifi- 
cent desolations  and  gorgeous  misery  !  There 
is  poverty  indeed. 

But  let  me  not  forget.  It  may  also  be 
sober  and  industrious  and  plain,  and  have  its 
pew  in  orthodox  churches.  I  see  it  before  me. 
It  has  its  likeness  in  Bartimeus,  but  its  dread- 
ful reality,  O  sinner,  in  you  ! 

I  saw  a  man  beginning  a  long  journey.  It 
was  a  most  perilous  journey,  through  a  wild, 
inhospitable  country.  It  did  not  seem  so  at 
first;  a  green  and  flowery  lane  led  from  his 
dwelling.  The  road  was  smooth,  the  day 
bright,  friends  near,  the  prospect  fair.  He 
set  gaily  off  in  an  easy  carriage,  attended  by 
assiduous  servants,  and  followed  by  wagons 
loaded  with  all  curious  provision  for  present 
amusement  or  need.  Song  and  fragrance  filled 
the  morning  air,  and  though  as  the  early  hours 
flew  by,  these  fled  with  them,  still  his  spirits 
were  high,  and  the  wheels  rattled  merrily  over 
the  graded  way.  The  smiles  and  congratula- 
tions of  friends  saluted  him  as  he  passed,  and 
some  envied  him.  He  counted  himself  happy, 
and  rejoicing  in  his  admirable  appointments, 


40  BLIND  BAKTIMEUS. 

gave  up  his  heart  to  pleasure.  The  evening 
of  the  first  day  has  come,  and  lo  !  the  carriage 
is  going  down  a  hill.  How  steep  it  is  getting ! 
Faster  and  faster  it  goes.  The  air  darkens, 
the  gloom  thickens,  it  grows  cold ;  and  faster, 
faster  rolls  the  carriage  downward.  ISTothing 
can  check  it.  He  tries,  the  servants  try.  He 
shrieks  for  help,  but  in  vain.  Downward  dash 
the  horses.  And  see !  at  the  bottom  of  the 
hill,  a  river,  dark  and  without  a  bridge.  The 
road  leads  into  it.  In  rush  the  horses,  and 
with  struggles  and  groans  and  plunges  of 
agonj^,  all  disappears. 

But  our  traveler  did  not  die  in  the  stream. 
At  the  other  shore  he  came  forth  from  the 
water,  cold,  desolate,  alone.  His  servants 
were  gone.  His  treasure  was  gone.  His 
amusements  were  gone.  And  on  that  bleak 
shore,  in  that  bitter  clime,  bound  still  for 
that  awful  journey,  I  saw  him  standing, 
pale,  weak,  in  helpless  despair.  On,  on  he 
must  go.  He  was  hungry,  but  he  had  no 
food ;  thirsty,  but  there  was  no  water ;  foot- 
sore, but  he  must  walk.  See,  he  totters,  but 
he  has  no  staff;  dangers  assail  him,  but  he 


BLIND  BAETIMEUS.  41 

has  no  defence ;  remorse  gnaws  him,  but  he 
has  now  no  resource.  An  irresistible  destiny 
urges  him,  and  while  the  hunger  ever  bites, 
and  the  way  grows  rougher,  and  horrors 
thicken  about  him,  on,  on  he  must  go. 

Yet  he  knew  all  this  from  the  first,  but 
counted  it  nothing.  All  his  preparations  were 
for  the  pleasant  road,  through  green  and 
sunny  fields.  He  seemed  rich  then.  Men 
called  him  so,  all  but  one  honest  soul,  who 
frankly  told  hinv  that  his  arrangements  were 
short-sighted,  wretched,  and  that  if  he  went 
thus,  his  folly  was  as  egregious  as  soon  his 
poverty  would  be  dreadful.  But  he  was 
called  a  rude  man  for  his  pains,  and  bidden 
begone.  Why  should  he  be  ever  disturb- 
ing the  present  joy  with  his  doleful  prophe- 
cies? The  very  sight  of  him  made  one 
melancholy,  and  his  voice  seemed  to  toll  out 
his  warning,  like  a  dismal  bell  at  a  funeral. 
"  Let  us  use  the  joys  we  have,  while  we  have 
them,  and  let  the  future  take  care  of  itself!" 
So  he  spoke,  and  so  he  went ;  and  now  there 
he  is. 

Nay,  you  need  not  tell  me  that  my  picture 
4* 


42  BLIND   BARTIMEUS. 

is  preposterous — ^tlaat  there  is  no  such  fool  on 
earth.  I  know  how  wise  the  children  of  this 
world  are  in  their  generation/  and  how  un- 
natural all  this  would  be,  if  I  meant  the  petty 
concerns  of  this  life  alone.  But  suppose  I 
strip  off  the  veil,  and  tell  you  that  eternity  is 
that  awful  journey,  and  life  that  pleasant  lane, 
and  the  body  that  easy  carriage  in  which  the 
soul  sets  out  so  gaily,  and  death  that  bridge- 
less  river,  where  friends  can  go  no  further, 
and  servants  must  forsake .  us,  and  all  the 
treasure  of  earth  go  down  for  ever  ?  Where 
now  is  the  unnaturulness  ?  Has  it  not  become 
natural  enough — tame  even,  from  its  very 
commonness?  Thus  from  your  own  mouth 
I  condemn  you,  and  from  the  shock  you  feel, 
when  the  whole  scene  is  bounded  by  an  inch 
of  time,  convict  you  of  unutterable  madness 
in  preparing  for  the  little  course  of  this  life 
only,  and  going  all  unfurnished  for  everlasting 
ages. 

As  I  bid  you  then,  in  God's  name,  beware, 
shall  I  be  driven  away  as  too  rough  for  your 
polite  ears  and  tender  nerves?     Shall  I  fear 

'  Luke,  xvi.  8. 


BLIND   BARTIMEUS.  43 

lest  I  describe  the  coming  terrors  of  jour  re- 
morse and  shame  and  utter  desolation,  of  jour 
fierj,  unappeasable  thirst,  and  eternal  deep 
povertj,  so  graphicallj,  that  jou  shall  be 
I'eallj  alarmed,  and  set  to  sec\iring  the  true 
riches?  Must  I  measure  mj  periods,  and 
make  mild  words  drop  trippingly  from  mj 
tongue,  lest  jou  should  believe  me  to  be  in 
earnest  ? 

0  souls,  let  me  deal  trulj  bj  God's  Word, 
and  bj  you.  Let  me  tell  jou  that  jou  are 
poor,  miserablj  poor,  and  in  clanger  of  eternal 
povertj.  Poor?  You  have  no  Almighty 
Comforter  for  jour  sorrows,*  no  Infinite  Ee- 
deemer  for  jour  sins,"  no  Eternal  God  for 
your  portion.^  You  have  no  solid  peace  in 
this  world,*  no  well-grounded  hope  for  an- 
other," no  security  for  one  moment  more  out 
of  hell/  You  are  an  alien  from  God's  peo- 
ple, a  stranger  from  his  covenants  of  prom- 
ised You  are  without  the  onlj  blood  which 
can  pardon, 8   the   onlj  Spirit  who   can    pu- 

*  John,  xiv.  17.  *  Acts,  iv.  12.  '  Mat.,  xxiv.  51. 

*  Isa.,  xlviii.  22.  ^  Job,  xi.  20  ;   Prov.,  xi.  7. 

*  Mat.,  xiL  19,  20.         '  Eph.,  ii.  12.       -  *  John,  iii.  18. 


44  BLIND  BARTIMEUS. 

rifj,^  the  only  righteousness  whicli  can  jus- 
tify," without  title  to  heaven/  without  meet- 
ness  for  it,^  without  any  hope  of  it,  except 
a  hope  which  is  false  and  shall  fail  you  in  the 
day  of  need/  Ah,  "  you  are  without  Christ 
and  have  no  God,"®  and  that  is  poverty  indeed,- 
unspeakable,  intolerable ! 

Bartiraeus'  blindness  caused  his  poverty ; 
and  your  blindness,  that  is,  your  sin,  has 
caused  yours.  His  blind  eyes  could  not  see 
all  his  poverty,  and  your  blind  souls  cannot 
see  yours.  He  could  get  rid  of  poverty,  only 
by  getting  rid  of  blindness  ;  and  it  is  only  by 
getting  rid  of  sin,  that  you  shall  escape  being 
everlastingly  poor. 

III. — HIS     BEGGARY. 

See  now  to  what  a  sad  strait  this  blind 
man's  malady  has  brought  him  —  he  is  a 
beggar.  Blindness  has  made  him  poor,  and 
poverty  a  beggar.  In  this,  too,  he  shows  the 
woful  estate  of  the  sinner.     Every  sinner  is  a 

•  John,  iii.  5,  6.  *  Job,  xsv.  4;    Rom.,  iii  19-26. 

•  Rev.,  xxii.  14,  15.     *  Heb.,  xiL  14.     ^  Mat.,  vii.  21,  26,  27 

•  Eph.,  ii.  12. 


BLIND   BARTIMEUS.  45 

beggar.  How  can  it  be  otberwise  ?  Can  such 
poverty  be  independent  ?  In  outward  "poverty, 
a  well-furnished  mind,  a  wealthy  soul  may  be 
an  inward  solace.  But  when  it  is  the  soul  that 
is  bankrupt,  there  is  no  region  still  within, 
where  it  may  retire  and  comfort  itself.  It  will 
seek  for  happiness,  and  it  must  look  without — 
it  is  forced  to  beg. 

You  have  seen  a  blind  beggar  in  your 
streets.  He  stands  at  the  corner  where  the 
crowd  hurries  by.  He  hears  the  confused 
hum  of  busy  life — the  cries  of  the  drivers,  the 
earnest  voices  of  men,  the  merry  laugh  of 
children.  How  lively  and  happy  they  all  seem 
to  him  in  his  melancholy  darkness ;  all  hap- 
pier than  he,  the  poor  blind  beggar !  In  one 
hand  he  holds  his  long  staff,  while  the  other 
is  reaching  forth  for  alms.  His  form  is  bent 
with  weariness  and  age.  He  often  stands  with 
his  head  uncovered,  through  a  deference  which 
befits  his  lowly  errand;  and  then  you  may  see 
that  his  hair  is  thin  and  white.  His  meek  face 
and  lips  moving,  but  saying  nothing,  his  out- 
stretched hand  and  sightless  eyes  turning  this 
way  and  that,  as  if  they  tried  to  see  and  could 


46  BLIND  BARTIMEUS. 

not — these  touch,  the  heart  and  plead  for  him 
as  no  words  could  do. 

And  thus  I  see  poor,  guilty,  blinded  souls 
begging — ^begging  of  earth  and  sky  and  air 
and  sea,  of  every  passing  event,  of  one  an- 
other, of  all  but  the  great  and  merciful  God, 
who  would  supply  all  their  need  through 
Jesus  Christ.'  They  must  beg.  The  vast 
desires  of  the  soul,  which  God  gave  that  they 
might  be  filled  from  Himself,  and  which  no- 
thing but  His  own  fulness  can  satisfy;  the 
noble  powers  degraded  to  work  with  trifles ; 
the  aspirations  which  thrill  only  as  they  mount 
heavenward,  but  now  struggle  and  pant  like 
an  eagle  with  broken  wing  and  his  breast  in 
the  dust ;  the  deathless  conscience,  filled  with 
guilt  and  touched  with  unappeasable  wrath, 
drugged,  indeed,  and  often  sleeping  heavily, 
but  waking  surely,  and  then  lashing  the  soul 
inexorably — all  these  compel  it  to  be  a  beg- 
gar. They  constrain  it  to  cry  out,  with  the 
lost  fiend, 

"  Me,  miserable  !  which  way  shall  I  flj  ?" 
It  is  not  yet  conscious,  indeed,  of  a  "  hell" 

'  Philippians,  iv.  19. 


BLIND  BARTIMEUS.  47 

within,  but  its  elements  are  there,  and  the  un- 
easy burning  keeps  it  for  ever  restless. 

The  soul  was  made  for  good,  and  for  good 
it  will  ever  cry.  However  debased  and  fallen, 
it  still  hungers  for  good.  It  may  be  a  dis- 
eased hunger  now ;  but  it  is  not  less  ravenous 
for  that.  If  it  cannot  find  food,  it  will  devour 
ofial. 

In  its  ruin,  the  soul  feels  itself  an  exile  and 
vagabond.  It  is  like  a  prince  stolen  away 
from  his  home  in  early  childhood,  and  ever 
retaining  some  dim  remembrance  of  the  glory 
of  his  ancient  heritage.  Amid  its  deep  pov- 
erty the  royaj.  instinct  sometimes  stirs  within 
it,  and  it  wanders  weeping  through  the  world, 
in  search  of  that  Eden  which  is  no  longer  on 
earth.  ^ 

"  Poor  pensioner  on  the  bounties  of  an  hour," 

the  impoverished  soul  looks  for  each  new  hour 
to  bring  some  good  it  has  not  yet.  Disappoint- 
ed each  night;  it  wakes  each  day  to  beg  anew 
its  daily  bread.  "  "Who  will  show  me  any 
good?'"  is  its  constant  cry,  and  hither  and 

'  Psalm  iv.  6. 


48  BLIND   BARTIMEUS. 

thither,  to  and  fro  over  the  face  of  the  earth, 
it  wanders,  searching  evermore  for  the  satis- 
faction which  still  it  finds  not. 

Begging  begins  in  childhood.  We  beg  then 
with  eager  hope.  We  are  sure  we  shall  not , 
be  disappointed.  Games,  holidays,  sight-see- 
ing all  promise  much,  and  childhood  begs 
them  to  make  it  blessed.  Vexed,  wearied, 
sent  empty  away  again  and  again,  the  boy 
sees,  further  on,  the  youth,  pursuing  his 
greater  hopes,  and  hastens  to  join  him,  confi- 
dent that  in  higher  excitements  and  larger 
liberty,  in  new  aspirations  and  tenderer  love, 
his  soul's  thirst  shall  be  slaked.  Deluded 
once  more,  he  grows  sober  and  wise  and  firm. 
He  is  older.  He  is  a  man.  He  lays  deep 
plans  now,  puts  on  a  bolder  face,  and  begs 
with  sterner  importunity.  He  can  take  no 
denial.  He  must  have  happiness  ;  he  loill  be 
blessed.  Fame,  wealth,  power — these  have 
the  bidden  treasure  he  has  sought  so  long.  He 
kijows  now  where  it  is,  and  they  must  give  it 
up.  Years  are  passing,  his  time  will  soon  be 
gone,  and  now  he  begs  indeed!  How  these 
idols  lead  his  soul  captive!     How  he  toils, 


BLIND  BARTIMEUS.  49 

cringes,  grovels,  sacrifices  for  their  favor. 
Fame,  wealth,  power — deceitful  gods !  still 
promise  that  to-morrow  the  long-sought  good 
shall  be  given.  But  how'  many  to-morrows 
come  and  go,  and  leave  him  still  trusting  to 
the  next !  Now  he  forsakes  the  pleasures  he 
might  have,  dries  up  the  fountains  of  his 
early  love,  sweeps  all  sentiment  from  his 
heart,  crushes  his  dearest  affections,  tasks  every 
power  to  the  utmost,  wrings  out  his  heart's 
blood,  and  lays  all  his  soul  before  his  idol's 
feet, — and  is  disappointed !  Disappointed  alike 
in  failure  and  success !  If  he  wins  the  prize, 
this  is  not  what  he  coveted,  and  worshipped, 
and  bargained  away  his  soul  for,  and  he  curses 
it  for  a  cheat.  If  he  fails,  he  still  believes  that 
the  true  good  was  there,  and  he  was  near  it ; 
and  he  curses  the  chance  or  envy  or  hate  which 
snatched  it  from  his  grasp. 

But  who  shall  describe  the  lose  arts  of 
this  beggary?  The  disguises,  the  pretences, 
the  fawnings  —  all  the  low  tricks  of  street- 
beggars  —  are  adopted  and  eclipsed  by  those 
who  will  be  rich,  will  be  great,  will  have 
fame. 

5 


50  BLIND   BARTIMEUS. 

And  wliat  are  the  profits  of  thus  begging  the 
•  world  for  what  God  alone  can  give  ? 

Observe  a  street-beggar  for  awhile.  How 
many  go  bj  and  give  nothing,  v/here  one 
drops  even  a  penny  in  the  hat !  So  many  of 
the  passing  things  of  time  refuse  altogether  to 
give  the  soul  the  good  it  asks. 

See  again.  Do  you  mark  the  impudent  leer 
of  that  mean  boy  ?  He  knows  the  beggar  is 
blind,  and  so  he  comes  up  pretending  sympa- 
thy, and  puts  a  pebble,  a  chip,  in  that  trem- 
bling hand.  So  a  thousand  times  have  you 
seen  the' world  do  for  a  beofgins:  soul. 

But  there  comes  a  still  meaner  boy  ;  Aeputs 
that  which,  when  the  grateful  old  man's  hand 
closes  on  it  pierces  or  stings  it,  and,  laughing 
loudly  in  the  blind,  bewildered  face,  he  runs 
away.  And  thus  have  I  seen  the  gay,  pol- 
ished world  put  a  sparkling  cup  to  the  young 
man's  lips  ;  but  when  at  last  it  bit  him  like  a 
serpent  and  stung  him  like  an  adder,  the  pol- 
ished world  jeered  his  imprudence,  and  turned 
him  from  its  door.  His  excesses  and  agony 
and  death  must  not  be  seen  there  ! 

And  when  the  beggar's  gains  for  the  day  are 


BLIND   BARTIMEUS.  61 

fairly  counted,  wTiat  are  they  ?  A  few  copper 
coins,  foul  with  gangrene,  and  little  bits  of 
silver,  rarely, — enough  to  buy  a  scanty  meal 
and  a  poor  lodging,  and  to-morrow  all  is  to 
begin  again.  And  thus  the  world  gives — few 
pleasures,  low  pleasures,  brief  pleasures.  They 
stay  the  soul's  hunger  for  awhile,  but  never 
satisfy  it,  so  that  straightway  we  must  go  out 
and  beg  again.  The  world  never  raised  a 
man's  soul  above  beggary.  It  is  both  too  self- 
ish and  too  poor.  It  gives  but  little  of  what 
it  has,  and  if  it  gave  all,  gave  itself,  that  would 
not  fill  and  bless  an  immortal  soul. 

These  things  make  me  think  how  sadly  all 
this  begging  from  the  world  ends.  The  hour 
comes  when  the  world  can  do  no  more.  It  is 
a  bitter  hour — an  hour  of  pain  and  anguish, 
of  weakness  and  despair — the  hour  of  death. 
The  world  is  roaring  away  as  ever,  in  business 
and  mirth,  all  unconscious  that  the  poor  man 
who  loved  and  worshipped  it  so,  is  dying. 
His  banqueting  halls,  where  the  world  used  to 
riot,  are  shut.  A  strange  guest  came  in,  un- 
asked, and  few  cared  to  stay  with  him.  The 
revelry  hushed,  the  splendor  grew  dark.     He 


52  BLIND  BARTIMEUS. 

took  the  host  by  the  hand,  astonished  and 
speechless,  and  led  him  to  his  chamber,  and 
laid  him  on  the  bed,  and  whether  others  slept 
or  waked,  he  was  a  constant  watcher — with 
those  cold,  sleepless  eyes  !  Not  many  may 
cross  the  threshold  now,  and  they  tread 
lightly,  and  speak  in  "whispers.  Even  the 
blessed  light  of  day  may  no  more  come  in 
freely  at  the  windows.  The  gloom  and  soli- 
tude and  dreadful  stillness  of  the  grave  are  al- 
ready closing  round  him.  His  pillow  smoothed 
again,  another  drop  of  water,  and  the  chill 
dews  of  the  everlasting  night  wiped  once  more 
from,  his  brow — this  is  all  the  poor  man  has 
to  ask  from  the  world.  It  is  all  the  world  has 
to  give. 

But  oh,  the  begging  of  God  which  now  be- 
gins !  Bitter  crying  to  Him  whose  gracious 
heart  has  been  waiting  to  bless  these  many 
yearsy^  waiting  in  vain  for  one  sigh  of  contri- 
tion, one  prayer  of  faith  to  His  infinite  grace! 
But  it  is  too  late.  His  patient,  insulted  Spirit 
has  been  grieved  at  length. °  He  has  departed. 
In  anger  He  hath  shut  up  His  tender  mercies. 

'  Mat.,  xxiii.  37.  2  Eph.,  iv.  30. 


BLIND    BARTIMEUS.  53 

He  will  be  favorable  no  more.  His  mercy  is 
clean  gone  for  ever.^  He  gives  no  answer, 
and  the  soul,  beggared  now  eternally,  goes 
into  outer  darkness,^  and  begins,  hungry  and 
naked  and  cold,  its  blind,  everlasting  wander- 
ing in  the  land  of  blackness  and  emptiness! 

1  Ps.  ixxvii.  7-9.  -  Mat,  xxv.  30. 

5* 


II. 


"And  hearing  the  multitude  pass  by,  he  asked  what  it 
meant,  and  they  told  him  that  Jesus  of  Nazareth  passetb 
by." 

I LINDNESS,  poverty,  beggary!  What 
woes  to  be  mingled  in  one  cup  !  Who 
can  measure  the  wretchedness  of  the 
man  who  is  ever  drinking  their  still 
unexhausted  bitterness  ?  Let  us  pity 
Bartimeus.  But  do  not  forget  the  deeper  sor- 
rows of  which  these  were  but  the  shadow.  I 
see  more  miserable  souls  before  me.  I  can 
weep  over  Bartimeus,  but  when  I  look  at  many 
of  you,  I  am  amazed  that  I  ever  cease  to  weep. 
What  hardness  has  seized  my  heart  that  I  can 
think  of  you  without  tears,  or  meet  you  with- 
out lamentation  ?  The  heavens  are  astonished 
at  your  wretchedness  and  doom,  and  why  doth 
not  horror  take  hold  on  my  soul  ?'  Oh  that 
my  head  were  waters,  and  mine  eyes  a  foun- 

■  Jer.,  ii.  12,  13;  Ps.  cxix.  53. 


BLIND   BARTIMEUS,  55 

tain  of  tears,  that  I  miglit  weep  day  and  night 
for  jou/  O  ye  blinder  blind,  and  j)oorer  poor 
than  Bartimeus ! 

Ah  !  if  it  were  only  the  eye  of  the  body 
that  is  out !  only  the  flesh  that  is  clothed  with 
rags !  Yet  that  would  be  dreadful.  It  was 
dreadful  in  visions  of  the  night,  when  deep 
sleep  falleth  on  men.'  Then  I  dreamed  that 
Sabbath  morning  had  come,  and  I  stood  in 
my  pulj)it  to  preach ;  when  suddenly  I  saw 
]\ileness  gathering  on  all  faces  ;  for  God  was 
wrapping  you  in  His  cloud  and  thick  dark- 
ness, and  I  stood  alone  among  a  congregation 
of  the  blind.  Then  a  change  passed  over  your 
bright  raiment,  and  it  became  rags — the  coarse 
rags  of  beggars.  All  bloom  fled  from  every 
cheek,  and  every  form  was  shrivelled  and  bent. 
A  horrible  old  age  had  come  even  on  the  faces 
of  little  children.  Ah  I  what  a  scene  it  was ! 
Some  of  you  groped  your  fearful  way  in 
the  dark.  Some  shrieked  in  frenzy.  Some 
stretched  your  bony  hands  and  turned  your 
hunger-bitten  faces  toward  heaven,  and  with 
eyes  that  wept  their  own  blindness,  cried  in 

■  Jer.,  ix.  1.  2  Job,  iv.  13. 


66  BLIND   BARTIMEUS. 

anguish  for  liglit ;  wlaile  some  sat  still,  pet- 
rified with  horror.  Yet  I  knew  you  all  as  be- 
fore. I  looked  down  on  the  same  dear  faces, 
wretched  now,  and  ghastly,  the  same  gentle 
eyes  through  which  loving  souls  had  so  often 
looked  in  kindness  on  me, — now  distorted  and 
wild,  and  "  rolling  in  vain  to  find  the  day." 

When  grief  and  astonishment  would  let  me, 
I  tried  to  speak,  but  none  heard  me.  I  called 
aloud ;  but  screams  and  sobs  and  deep-drawn 
sighs,  and  curses  muttered  through  gnashing 
teeth,  drowned  my  voice.  When  lo  !  amid 
the  great  bitterness  and  struggle  of  my  soul,  I 
heard  the  voice  of  God  saying  unto  me, 
"  Weep  not,  nor  be  dismayed  for  this ;  but 
weej)  for  souls  that  see  not,  and  hearts  that 
are  blind.  Weep  for  the  desolations  of  sin,  of 
which  I  have  now  shown  thee  a  little,  lest  I 
visit  the  people  in  mine  anger,  and  there  be 
no  remedy ;  lest  I  smite  them  in  my  wrath, 
and  their  blindness  be  everlasting.  Weep  for 
them." 

The  awful  voice  had  made  a  great  silence, 
and  now  again  it  spoke,  and  said  to  you,  with 
a  benignant   sweetness   which    melted    your 


BLIND   BARTIMEUS.  57 

hearts  and  poured  sunbeams  on  your  darkness, 
"  0  ye  wretched,  and  miserable,  and  poor,  and 
blind,  and  naked  ;  I  counsel  you  to  buy  of  rae 
gold  tried  in  the  fire,  that  ye  may  be  rich  ;  and 
wbite  raiment  that  ye  may  be  clothed,  and 
that  the  shame  of  your  nakedness  do  not  ap^ 
pear;  and  anoint  your  eyes  with  eye-salve, 
that  ye  may  see  !"^ 

Will  you  not  weep  for  yourselves,  ye  blind 
souls  ?  Will  you  not  believe  God's  testimony 
declaring. your  ruin  and  proclaiming  a  rem- 
edy ?  Will  you  not  taste  and  see  that  the 
Lord  is  gracious?'  Will  you  not  follow  on 
to  know  the  Lord'  as  He  reveals  His  loving- 
kindness,  in  this  story,  in  which  human  mis- 
ery and  Divine  mercy  so  strangely  meet,  and 
mercy  so  blessedly  triumphs  ?  Consent  to  begin 
in  the  depths  with  Bartimeus,  and  one  day  you 
shall  stand  on  the  heights  with  him,  praising 
his  God  and  }ours  with  irrepressible  rejoicing. 

But,  poor  man !  his  song  is  not  yet.  He 
still  sits  by  the  high-way,  as  unconscious  as 
the  dead,  of  the  blessing  which  even  now 
slowly  draws  near,  and  soon  shall  pour  around 

*  Rev.,  iiL  18.  ^  Psalm  xxxiv.  8.         ^  Hosea,  vi.  3. 


58  BLIND   BAETIMEUS. 

and  through  him  its  streams  of  earthlj  and 
heavenly  Hght. 

There  he  sits  in  his  drearj  darkness,  while 
from  the  Throne  an  Eye  of  pitj  is  looking 
down  upon  him,  and  from  the  gates  of  heaven 
loving  angels  are  pouring  forth,*  to  behold  a 
new  triumph  of  the  power  and  grace  of  their 
Lord,^  and  welcome  a  new  companion  to  their 
everlasting  joj,^  and  that  Lord  Himself  is 
coming  nearer,  nearer,  with  his  heart  yearn- 
ing for  its  gracious  overflow.  That  celestial 
virtue,  which  dwelt  in  unmeasured  fulness  in 
Him  and  poured  out  so  freelj  that,  if  faith's 
finger  touched  even  the  hem  of  His  garment, 
its  liberal  streams  emptied  themselves  till  all 
human  need  was  filled,^ — that  virtue  was  even 
now  springing  up  from  the  deep  wells  of  His 
Deity  and  thrilling  His  human  heart  with 
secret  joy. 

And  is  it  not  always  so?  Does  not  God 
always  begin  with  man  ?  What  has  man,  ex- 
cept his  miseries,  to  attract  any  thing  in  God? 
And  what  can  these  attract  but  grace — pure 

'  Heb.,  L  14.  ^l  Peter,  i.  12. 

'  Luke,  XV.  10.  *  Luke^  viii.  43-48. 


BLIND   BARTIMEUS.  59 

grace  coming  in  place  of  deserved  wrath? 
And  when  even  this  comes,  it  finds  no  wel- 
come or  congenial  home.  "  The  grace  of 
God  in  the  heart  of  man,"  says  Leighton,  "  is 
a  tender  plant  in  a  strange,  unkindly  soil." 
Both  the  seed  and  the  sunshine,  then,  must 
come  from  heaven.  To  him  that  hath,  indeed, 
shall  be  given, ^  but  then  what  have  we  that 
we  did  not  receive?^  Every  good  gift  is  from 
above.^  Have  we  repentance?  Him  hath 
Grod  exalted  with  His  right  hand  to  be  a 
Prince  and  Saviour,  for  to  give  repentance  to 
Israel,  and  forgiveness  of  sins.*  Pardon  is  no 
more  the  gift  of  Christ  than  the  repentance 
that  leads  to  it.  Have  we  faith  ?  It  is  the 
gift  of  God.s  Jesus  is  its  Author  as  well  as 
Finisher.'  Have  we  love?  We  love  Him 
because  He  first  loved  us.'  Love,  joy,  peace, 
long-suffering,  gentleness,  goodness,  faith, 
meekness,  temperance,  are  all  the  fruit  of  the 
Spirit;*  while  if  you  would  see  what  fruit 
springs  of  itself  from  the  vine  of  nature,  you 
may  read  just  before,*  where  Paul  counts  over 

1  Luke,  xix.  26.        ^  1  Cor.,  iv.  7.         ^  James,  i.  17. 
*  Acts,  V.  3L  •  Eph.,  ii.  8.  "  Heb.,  xii.  2. 

'  1  John,  iv.  19.         »  Gal,  v.  22,  23.     9  Gal.,  v.  19-21. 


60  BLIND   BARTIMEUS. 

seventeen  bitter,  deadly  clusters,-  and  then, 
weary  of  tbe  dreadful  count,  adds,  "  and  such 
like."  When  God  begins  to  deal  graciously 
with  us,  passing  by  us  in  pity,  and  looking 
on  us  in  love,  to  make  us  His  in  everlasting 
espousals,  we  are  described  under  the  image 
of  a  miserable  infant,  born  in  an  accursed  land 
and  of  accursed  parents,  and  cast  out  immedi- 
ately, unpitied,  into  the  open  field,  exposed, 
helpless,  bleeding,  polluted,  to  die  !*  And  in 
many  other  Scriptures  we  are  declared  to  be 
by  nature,  dead  in  trespasses  and  sins,  lying 
in  wickedness,  children  of  wrath,  having  minds 
which  are  enmity  against  God,  of  our  father 
the  devil.'  And  if  the  likeness,  corruption 
and  curse  of  hell  are  not  ours  for  ever,  the 
change  from  first  to  last  is  of  God.  "  Men  find 
a  thing  lovely,  and  love  it ;  God  loves  a  thing, 
and  thereby  makes  it  lovely.'" 

In  this  case,  it  is  indeed  brought  to  pass 
that  the  first  word  shall  come  from  Bartimeus. 
But  Christ,  who  is  coming  near  on  purpose  to 
bless  him,  has,  by  His  Providence,  arranged 

*  Ezek.  xvi.  ^  Eph.,  ii.  1 ;  1  John,  v.  19  ;  Eph.,  ii.  3  ; 

Eom.,  viii.  f  ;  John.  viii.  44.  °  Jenkyn  on  Jude. 


BLIND   EAKTIMEUS.  61 

it  that  he  shall  be  sitting  there  as  He  is  to  pass 
by ;  that  he  should  have  some  previous  knowl- 
edge of  Jesus  of  Nazareth  and  His  power  to 
heal ;  that  his  curiosity  shall  be  awakened  and 
his  desires  excited,  while  through  His  grace 
alone,  he  has  faith  to  call  Him  Lord  and  trust 
his  cure  to  His  power  and  compassion.' 

There  he  sits  hoping  for  mere  worldly  gain. 
He  has  not  come  to  meet  Christ.  It  was  not 
in  all  his  thoughts  to  get  his  eyes  opened. 

How  many  like  him  are  before  me, — dying 
sinners  on  whom  God's  curse  is  resting,  who 
yet  did.  not  come  to  secure  the  great  salvation. 
You  have  gathered  in  the  place  of  mercy,  but 
not  as  fugitives  from  the  wrath  that  is  pursu- 
ing you.  You  knew  that  Christ  was  preached 
here  in  every  sermon,  but  you  did  not  come 
to  meet  Him.  How  many  of  this  perishing 
multitude  came  for  no  higher  reason  than  that 
others  were  coming,  and  you  knew  not  well 
what  else  to  be  doing  meantime,  or  you  thought 
it  decent  to  come,  or  you  like  to  hear  sermons! 
For  these  and  such  reasons  you  have  dared  to 
seat  yourselves  in  the  house  of  God,  and  come 

'  Cor.,  xii.  3  ;   Eph.,  ii.  3. 
6 


62  BLIND   BARTIMEUS. 

under  the  tremendous  responsibilities  of  hearers 
of  the  gospel !  To  stroll  through  sacred  places, 
careless  spectators  of  the  crucifixion;  indif- 
ferent lookers-on  while  God  comes  down  in 
tempest  and  blackness  on  Mount  Sinai,  to  give 
His  dreadful  Law ! 

God  grant  a  further  parallel ;  that  you  may 
get  what  you  did  not  come  for,  even  a  solemn 
meeting  and  saving  closing  of  your  souls  with 
Jesus  Christ ! 

There  sits  the  blind  man,  when  a  faint  sound 
catches  his  quick  ear.  He  listens,  and  per- 
ceives a  noise  of  many  foot-steps,  a  murmur 
of  many  voices,  confused  and  distant.  On 
they  come,  and  hope  rises  high  in  his  breast. 
To-day  shall  be  a  harvest  to  him.  It  is  rare 
that  so  many  pass  at  once,  and  now  will  he  be 
diligent.  On  they  come,  and  louder  grows 
the  sound  of  steps,  the  swell  of  voices.  Won 
der  mingles  with  his  hope, — wonder  what  all 
this  means,  for  now  they  are  near,  and  plainly 
it  is  a  great  multitude. 

A  multitude  with  Jesus  !  a  multitude  of  fol- 
lowers !  How  can  he  then  complain,  I  have 
labored  in  vain,  I  have  spent  my  strength 


BLIND  BARTIMEUS.  63 

for  naught  ?^  Simply  because  He  bad  many 
followers,  but  few  friends ;  many  from  curios- 
ity, many  for  loaves,  many  for  fashion,  but 
few  from  faith,  few  from  love.  And  so  it  bas 
been  ever  since. 

A  multitude  with  Jesus !  But  it  is  not  all 
following  that  He  blesses.  Judas  followed  Him 
daily,  but  remained  to  the  end  the  thief  and 
devil  he  was  from  tbe  beginning.''  Once  tbe 
people  not  only  followed  but  thronged  Him  ; 
but  only  one  was  healed,  and  she  touched  but 
the  hem  of  His  garment.  They  pressed  upon 
Him,  but  hers  was  tne  only  touch  of  faith.' 
Mere  outward  connection  with  Christ  did  no 
man  any  good. .  And  so  it  has  been  ever 
since. 

A  multitude  with  Jesus  I  Yes,  when  His 
march  is  at  all  triumphal, — when  as  He  goes 
He  invests  His  progress  with  the  splendor  of 
miracles,  there  will  be  no  want  of  a  crowd  to 
gape  after  Him.  But  though  He  fed  as  well 
as  dazzled  them  yesterday,  a  little  hard  doc- 
trine preached  to-day  thins  them  with  a  wit- 

'  Isa.,  xlix.  4.        ^  John,  vi.  70;  Mat.,  xxvi.  24;  :cxviL  5 
'  Mark,  v.  27,  31,  34. 


64  BLIND   BARTIMEUS. 

ness,  No  man,  said  Jesus,  can  come  unto  me, 
except  it  were  given  unto  him  of  my  Father. 
From  that  time  many  of  His  disciples  went 
back  and  walked  no  more  with  Him.*  And 
so  it  has  been  ever  since. 

A  multitude  with  Jesus  !  Take  care,  then, 
ye  members  of  the  Church.  Examine  your- 
selves close]  \\  Profession  of  religion  is  easy 
now.  Numbers  give  power,  respectability, 
fashion,  even  enthusiasm.  Seel  They  spread 
their  costly  raiment  in  His  path.  They  pave 
His  way  with  purple.  The  thunder  of  their 
hosannahs  goes  up  to  heaven.^  But  to-morrow 
He  is  alone,  and  the  multitude  grow  hoarse 
with  hooting  and  cursing  Him.'  So  little  was 
the  applause  of  the  multitude  worth ;  so  little 
did  popularity  test  principle  in  the  days  of 
Jesus.     And  so  it  has  been  ever  since. 

A  multitude  with  Jesus !  Blessed  be  God, 
in  that  multitude  some  true  disciples  may  be 
found ;  some  who,  though  weak  and  sin- 
ning,— forward,  like  Peter,  when  they  should  be 
backward/  and  then  backward,  of  course,  when 

'  John,  vL  65,  66.  ="  Mat.,  xxi.  8,  9. 

'  Luko,  xxiii.  18.  21.  23.  *  Mat,  xvi.  22. 


BLIND    BARTIMEUS.  65 

thej  should  be  forward  ;'  ambitious,  like  Zeb- 
edee's  children,''  or  doubting  like  Thomas,'  are 
still  true  friends  of  Jesus,  living  for  Him,  suf- 
fering for  Him,  growing  like  Him  day  bj  day, 
and  dying  for  Him  without  a  murmur,  if  He 
so  appoint.  Always  remember  that.  Jesus 
Christ  has  never  been  left  without  true  fol- 
lowers. Among  the  professed  people  of  God 
there  have  always  been  real  people  of  God. 
So  it  was  in  the  days  of  Christ.  And  so  it 
has  been  ever  since. 

"And  hearing  the  multitude."  O  what  a 
blessing  is  that !  His  ears  are  open  though 
his  eyes  are  shut.  Thus  God  remembers  to 
be  gracious.  Where  He  takes  one  mercy  He 
leaves  another.  He  never  takes  all  until  the 
cup  of  iniquity  is  full,*  and  then  wrath  comes 
to  the  uttermost  and  shivers  it/  He  leaves 
even  the  heathen  without  excuse,  for  they 
may  know  His  eternal  power  and  Godhead 
from  the  works  of  creation.*  And  no  sinner 
need  flatter  himself  that  because  the  Bible 
calls  him   blind  or  dead,  he  shall  therefore 

'  Mat,  xxvL  58.     ^  Mat,  xx.  20-24.     3  John,  xs.  25. 

•  Sen.,  XV.  16.     *  1  Thes.,  ii.  16.    s  Rom.,  i.  20,  32 ;  iL  14,  15. 

6* 


66  BLIND   BARTIMEUS. 

escape  duty  or  condemnation.  The  same 
epistle  whicla  pronounces  sinners  dead  in  tres- 
passes and  sins,  shouts  in  their  ears,  Awake, 
thou  that  sleepest,  and  arise  from  the  dead 
and  Christ  shall  give  thee  light!' 

Yes  sinners,  you  are  blind ;  you  cannot  see 
spiritual  beauty  or  glory.  But  you  can  '  hear' 
of  them,  and  know  that  you  must  see  t'uem  or 
perish. 

"But  /  cannot  open  my  eyes.  So  you 
have  told  me  again  and  again.  You  say  I  am 
helpless." 

You  are  indeed;  but  it  remains  nevertheless 
true  that  you  must  see  or  perish. 

"Is  not  this  a  hard  case?  Is  not  such 
preaching  mockery  ?  I  cannot  open  ray 
eyes." 

True,  true,  and  the  more's  the  pity.  It  is 
a  hard  case.  For  the  constitution  of  heaven 
will  not  be  changed  by  your  helplessness. 
Christ  tells  us  that  none  are  blessed  but  they 
who  see  Grod,  and  that  only  the  pure  in  heart 
shall  see  Him."  But  your  heart  is  foul  with 
sin    which  God   hates,   and   its  foulness  has 

'  Eph.,  ii.  1     V.  14.  =  Mat.,  v.  8. 


BLIND   BARTIMEUS. 


67 


blinded  yoar  eyes  find  brought  you  under 
His  curse.  So  that  you  are,  indeed,  in  help- 
less blindness.  And  yet  you  must  -see  or 
perish. 

"But  why  preach  this  to  me?  If  I  am 
helpless,  why  urge  me  with  impossible  duties 
and  vain  responsibilities?" 

Because  it  is  true  that  you  are  helpless,  and 
true  that  you  must  see  or  perish !  Both  are 
awful  truths  of  God's  word,  and  it  greatly  con- 
cerns you  to  know  them.  I  see,  indeed,  that 
you  would  silence  me  by  this  logic.  You 
think  that  in  pleading  your  inability,  you 
have  an  argument  that  will  excuse  you  from 
the  duties  you  hate.  Very  well ;  suppose  you 
do  silence  me.  God  will  still  call  to  you, 
Kepent  or  perish,'  Believe  or  be  damned  P 
And  if  you  do  excuse  yourself  from  these 
hateful  duties,  do  you  know  that  you  will  also 
excuse  yourself  from  salvation  ?  You  need 
not  see,  you  need  not  believe.  God  will  not 
compel  your  vision  or  3'our  faith.  But  He 
tvill  compel  you  to  believe  or  be  damned,  to 
see  or  be  lost.     So  all  your  logic  has  done  for 

•  Luke,  xiii.  3,  5.  ^  Mark,  xvi.  16 


68  BLIND   BARTIMEUS. 

jou  ia  to  shut  you  out  of  heaven.  But  per- 
haps }■  ou  do  not  believe  that  you  are  helpless. 
Then  prove  your  power  by  opening  your 
eyes.  Try  it.  See,  if  you  can.  Look  around 
on  the  regions  of  spiritual  beauty.  Delight 
yourself  with  the  saints'  blessedness.  God's 
light  and  love  are  pouring  all  around  you,  and 
they  will  pour  into  you,  if  you  can  but  open 
your  eyes.  .  .  .  There,  have  you  done  it? 
Do  they  fill  you  with  light?  Bathe  your  soul 
with  wonder  and  bliss?  Ah!  have  you  failed? 
Are  you  still  blind?  Is  all  dark?  Is  your 
heart  still  cold  and  hard?  Alas,  then  you 
are  helpless,  and  may  never  see  !  Yet  if  you 
do  not  see  you  must  perish !  • 

"  Ah,  me  !  what  then  shall  I  do  ?" 
What !  are  you  indeed  convinced  that  you 
have  no  power  to  open  your  eyes  ?     And  yet 
that  you  must  see  or  perish  ? 

"  Yes,  alas !  I  feel  my  utter  helj)lessness, 
while  the  Law  of  God  is  urging  me  with  its 
heavy  requirements.  I  know  I  can  have  no 
heaven  but  in  the  vision  of  God  reconciled, 
and  smiling  on  me.  O  that  would  indeed  be 
heaven !     But  I  do  not,  cannot  see  Him.     I 


BLIND   BARTIMEUS,  69 

am  blind,  and  can  do  notliing.  O  wretched 
man  that  1  am,  who  shall  deliver  me?"' 

Now,  sinner,  you  find  the  use  of  preach- 
ing your  helplessness  and  your  duty  together. 
The  merciless  dilemma  has  met  you  at  either 
hand,  and  shut  you  up  to  the  faith  of  the 
gospel.^  You  have  learned  to  despair  of  your 
own  strength,  and  cry  out  for  a  Dsliverer, 
Then  you  were  in  no  haste  to  obey  God,  for 
what  you  could  do  at  any  time,  why  should 
you  not  choose  your  own  time  for?  You 
would  wait  for  a  convenient  season.  But  now 
that  shield  of  vain  confidence  is  cast  away, 
and  your  naked  heart  bared  to  every  arrow 
from  the  quiver  of  God.  You  lie  helpless 
before  a  Sovereign  God,  justly  condemned, 
and  hopelessl}^  lost,  unless  He  save  you.  And 
now  I  may  tell  you  what  to  do. 

Do  what  Bartimeus  did.  Hear  the  truth, 
bear  the  truth,  believe  the  truth.  Settle  it  for 
ever  in  your  heart  that  if  you  do  not  see  your 
infinite  need  of  a  Saviour,  and  Christ's  infinite 
fitness  to  be  your  Saviour,  you  are  lost.  Then 
cry  to  Jesus  Christ  to  open  your  eyes.     Salva- 

>  Kom.,  vii.  24.  ""  GaL,  iii.  23. 


70  BLIND  BARTIMEUS. 

tion  is  by  faith/  and  faith  is  by  hearing/  and 
you  have  hearing,  you  do  hear — hear  that  you 
are  blind,  and  the  wrath  of  God  is  on  you/ 
and  the  vengeance  of  hell  awaits  you/  and 
none  but  Jesus  Christ  can  save  you/  and  He 
can  !°  You  hear  that,  and  I  pray  you  make 
speedy  use  of  it,  or  that  will  be  taken  away, 
with  every  other  sense  and  power,  and  this 
death  in  sin  will  deepen  into  death  in  hell — 
death  in  blindness  and  despair  for  ever  ! 

I  have  seen  Laura  Bridgman,  whom  God 
sent  into  this  world  without  sight,  hearing,  or 
the  power  of  speech.  She  could  see  nothing, 
hear  nothing,  ask  nothing.  To  her  the  very 
thunder  has  ever  been  silence,  and  the  sun 
blackness.  The  tips  of  her  fingers  and  the 
palms  of  her  hands  have  been  her  eyes  and 
ears  and  tongue.  Yet  that  poor  sickly  girl 
knows  much  of  the  earth  and  language  and 
numbers ;  of  human  relationships  and  pas- 
sions; of  what  is,  has  been,  shall  be,  should 
be ;  of  sin  and  death  and  hell ;  of  God  and 
Christ  and  Heaven.     And  all  this  has  gone 

Eph.,  ii.  8.  2  Rom.,  s.  17.  =  John,  iii.  36. 

*  Mat..  XXV,  41.      *  Acts,  iv.  12.  ^  1  Tim.,  i.  15. 


BLIND  BARTIMEUS.  71 

through  the  i^oor  child's  slemier  fingers, 
darkly  feeling  the  fingers  of  another;  and 
thus  she  tells  her  hopes  and  fears  and  sorrows. 
And  if  she,  groping  so  blindly  for  the  Sa- 
viour, finds  Him,  and  rests  her  weak  hands 
on  His  lowly  Head, — that  blessed  Head  which 
bows  lowly  enough  even  for  this, — oh,  how  will 
she  rise  up  in  judgment,'  and  condemn,  with 
utter  overwhelming,  you,  0  sinners,  upon 
whose  souls  every  sense  is  pouring  the  knowl- 
edge of  God,  while  your  eyes  read  His  Holy 
Word,  and  your  ears  hear,  a  thousand  times 
over,  these  tidings  of  great  joy, — even  the 
glorious  gospel  of  the  blessed  God  P 

"  Hearing  the  multitude  pass  by,  he  asked 
what  it  meant."  So  this  inarticulate  preach- 
ing of  the  passing  multitude  arrested  the  at- 
tention of  the  blind  man,  and  awakened  his 
cariosity,  and  set  him  to  inquiring  the  mean- 
ing of  these  things.  ''  Hearing,  he  asked." 
Yes,  yes,  that  is  the  true  progression.  If  there 
is  a  movement  in  the  Church,  if  a  new  impulse 
is  given  to  the  power  of  godliness,  if  Christ 
walks  amidst  His  people,"  even  though  false 

'  Mat.,  xii.  41,  42.  =  1  Tim.  L  .' !  ^  Rev.,  li.  1. 


72  BLIND   BAKTIMEUS. 

professors  gather  with  them ;  if  the  tread  of 
Zion  on  the  earth  is  like  the  tread  of  an  army 
with  banners/  then  will  a  blind,  ungodly- 
world  be  arrested  from  its  hungry,  clamorous 
quest  after  mere  earthly  gain.  It  will  con- 
sider and  wonder  and  inquire.  If  the  Church, 
— if  you,  my  brethren,  will  cease  to  wander 
or  dance  or  drudge  wherever  the  world 
does;  if  you  will  be  awake  and  up,  and 
gather  nearer  to  Christ  and  thus  nearer  to 
each  other ;  if  you  will  move  onward  wth 
Christ,  then  men  loill  look  up.  Old  Avarice 
will  drop  his  muck-rake,  and  Ambition  forget 
to  chase  his  bubble,  and  on  the  highway  qt 
byway,  in  court  and  camp  and  on  'change, 
men  will  pause  and  look  ;  and  the  movements 
of  a  spiritual  Church  will  make  them  wonder, 
and  they  will  inquire,  (while  no  little  awe  is 
creeping  over  their  hearts,)  What  do  these 
things  mean?  Where  are  these  men  going? 
Why  do  they  seem  like  strangers  and  pilgrims, 
with  their  loins  girded  and  their  faces  set  to- 
ward some  far-off  country  ?"  Why  are  they 
so   earnest  ?     Why   do   they    seem   to   walk 

'  Song,  vL  10.     =  Heb.,  xi.  13;  Luke,  xii.  35 ;  Jen,  ].  5. 


BLIND   BAliTIMEtrS.  78 

above  the  world/  while  yet  they  scatter  ten 
thousand  sweet  charities  as  tbej  pass?  Whal 
means  their  strange  speech  like  an  unearthlj; 
harmony  ?  Why  do  they  sing  in  the  way 
brave  songs  of  glory,  even  when  the  cloud 
wraps  them,  and  the  driving  storm  beats  them 
with  its  hail  ? 

If  Zion  thus  moved  on  with  her  King  in  the 
midst  of  her/  how  would  the  thunder  of  her 
triumph  shake  the  earth !  Ah,  brethren,  if 
you,  just  you,  thus  moved  on  under  the  Cap- 
tain of  your  salvation,  how  would  this  citj  be 
stirred !  Your  life  would  then  be  preaching 
all  over  the  town, — in  every  street  and  lane, 
and  it  would  be  preaching  which  would  crowd 
this  house  continually  with  anxious  inquir- 
ers. In  my  heart  I  believe  it ;  every  seat 
and  standing-place  would  be  filled,  and  the 
place  be  speedily  too  strait  for  us,*  and  that 
cheering  cry  be  heard  again  among  us,  Let  us 
rise  up  and  build/  Then  would  these  courts 
be  still  and  awful.  Believers  would  find  it 
hard   to   be   absent.      Pious   affections,   deep 

'  Pi-ov.,  XV.  24.     2  pg.  cxsxviii.  5.      =*  Zech.,  iii.  15,  17. 
<  Isa.,  xlix.  20.  '  Neh.,  ii.  18. 

7 
\ 


74  BLIND  BARTIMEUS. 

adorations,  importunate  desires  would  fill  their 
hearts  and  go  up  to  heaven.  With  what  power 
would  the  J  sing!  With"  what  fervor  would 
they  pray !  With  what  holy  relish  would 
they  eat  the  simple  food  of  the  gospel !  And 
how  would  the  unpardoned  hang  with  pain- 
ful anxiety  on  the  words  of  life  !  How  sim- 
ple and  easy  would  preaching  then  be, — yet 
savoring  so  preciously  of  Hfe  everlasting 
through  Christ  crucified. 

Shall  I  describe  a  sermon  which  would  re- 
fresh the  people  of  God,  and  be  as  arrows  in 
the  hearts  of  His  enemies,'  till  they  became 
willing  captives  of  Christ  2"^ 

My  text  shall  be  my  guide.  The  road-side 
was  the  church,  the  multitude  preached,  and 
Bartimeus  was  the  hearer.  And  now  for  the 
sermon  ; — "And  they  told  him,  Jesus  of  Naz- 
areth passeth  by."  "  Jesus  of  Nazareth  passeth 
by !"  That  is  the  whole  of  it,  and  I  think  it  a 
very  good  one,  when  we  consider  the  occasion. 
At  any  rate  it  enchained  the  whole  mind  and 
heart  of  Bartimeus.  It  went  down  into  his 
soul  like  a  beam  of  light,  and  filled  him  with 
'  Psalm  xlv.  5.  ''  Psalm  ex.  3. 


BLIND   BARTIMEUS.  75 

amazement  and  joy.  It  was  the  strangest, 
gladdest  word  lie  had  ever  heard.  'Jesus  of 
Nazareth — the  Saviour — He  who  openeth  the 
eyes  of  the  blind  !  Is  He  here — so  near  me — 
where  I  may  speak  to  Him  ?  O  has  the  day 
come  at  last,  when  my  eyes  shall  be  opened  ? 
When  I  shall  see,  shall  see,  and  be  no  more 
a  beggar  ?     O  can  such  news  be  true  ?' 

So  you  see  it  was  a  poicerful  sermon.  It 
went  to  the  heart  and  took  complete  posses- 
sion of  it.  I  am  quite  sure  Bartimeus  was  not 
a  captious  critic  of  that  sermon.  He  had  no 
time  to  think  whether  it  was  uttered  fast  or 
slowly,  loudly  or  gently.  Bat  what  made  it 
so  powerful?  "Jesus  of  Nazareth  passeth 
by."  That  is  all  of  it.  I  am  afraid  many  of 
us  would  think  very  little  of  such  a  sermon. 
But  Bartimeus  felt  his  blindness  and  his  need 
of  Christ.  There  is  the  difference.  The  power 
of  the  sermon  was  in  the  state  of  the  hearer's 
heart.  A  sermon  often  seems  poor  because 
we  are  cold.  There  is  a  difference  in  sermons, 
no  doubt.  But  I  read  that  men  could  go  to 
sleep  while  Paul  preached,'  and  even  the  wise 

'  Acts,  XX.  9. 


T6  BLIND   BARTIMEUS, 

men  of  Athens  called  him  a  babbler  and 
mocked/  while  the  most  noble  Festus,  who 
was  a  gentleman  in  high  life,  and  should  have 
known  better,  interrupted  him  in  the  midst  of 
his  sermon,  and  pronounced  him  "  mad,"  "^ — 
crazj,  as  we  would  saj.  If  sinners  and  saints 
felt  their  needs  more, — if  thej  oftener  came 
from  secret  devotions,  the  simplest  things  we 
could  saj  of  Christ  would  be  like  bread  to  the 
hungry  and  cold  waters  to  the  tlnrsty  soul.' 

It  was  a  very  simple  sermon.  Who  cannot 
preach  it?  "Jesus  of  Nazareth  passeth  by." 
There  is  no  follower  of  Jesus  who  cannot  tell 
poor  blind  souls  this.  Yet  this  is  the  message 
which  is  to  save  the  world.  The  Bible  tells  it 
over  in  a  thousand  forms.  Fill  your  hearts 
with  them,  and  go,  tell  the  glad  tidings  to  lost 
sinners  every  where.  I  thank  God  that  the 
gospel  is  so  simple  that  the  whole  multitude 
of  Christ's  followers  can  preach  it. 

And  so  must  the  preaching  from  the  pulpit 
be  simple.  We  must  say  many  things  that 
our  hearers  already  know.  A  good  preacher 
tries  to  make  all  truth  simple.     He  is  a  bad 

'  Acts,  xvii.  18,  32       '  Acts,  xxvi.  24.     '  Prov.,  xxv.  25, 

» 


BLIXD    BARTIMEUa  77 

shepherd,  say  the  old  writers,  who  holds  the 
hay  too  high  for  the  sheep.  According  to 
Lord  Bacon,  little  minds  love  to  inflate  plain 
things  into  marvels,  while  great  minds  love  to 
reduce  marvels  to  plain  things. 

"  The  very  essence  of  truth,"  says  Milton, 
"is  plainness  and  brightness;  the  darkness 
and  crookedness  are  our  own.'"  **  Better  the 
grammarian  should  reprehend,"  says  Jenkyn, 
"  than  the  people  not  understand.  Pithy  plain- 
ness is  the  beauty  of  preaching.  What  good 
doth  a  golden  key  that  opens  not  ?"^  An  old 
lady  once  walked  a  great  way  to  hear  the  cele- 
brated Adam  Clarke  preach.  She  had  heai-d 
he  was  "  such  a  scholar,"  as  indeed  he  was. 
But  she  was  bitterly  disappointed,  "  because," 
said  she,  "  I  understood  every  thing  he  said." 
And  I  knew  a  man  who  left  the  church  one 
morning  quite  indignant,  because  the  preacher 
had  one  thing  in  his  sermon  he  knew  before  I 
It  was  a  little  explanation  meant  for  the  chil- 
dren,— 'dear  little  things, — they  are  always 
coming  on,  and  I  love  to  see  their  bright  little 

'  Reformation  in  England.     Book  First. 
'  Exposition  upon  Jude. 
7'" 


78  BLIND   BARTIMEUS. 

faces  among  the  older  people.  We  used  to 
need  and  prize  these  simple  explanations,  and 
why  shouldn't  thej  have  them  in  their  turn  ? 
And  this  blessed  thing  is  to  be  said  of  the 
gospel :  Let  it  be  made  ever  so  simple,  so  that 
little  children  are  drinking  it  in  with  gratefal 
wonder,  it  still  has  depths  and  riches  to  satisfy 
the  mind  and  heart  of  the  mightiest  philoso- 
pher, if  only  he  has  that  highest  attainment 
of  wisdom, — a  simple,  child-like  faith.  Like 
the  sun,  it  is  mirrored  at  the  same  moment  by 
the  dew-drop  and  the  ocean. 

But  best  of  all,  this  sermon  was  about  Christ. 
He  is  mentioned  alone.  When  Bartimeus 
asked  "  what  it  meant,"  these  preachers  did 
not  answer,  "  We  are  passing  b}'."  Yet  their 
movements  arrested  him  ;  he  heard  them.  But 
when  he  asked  what  the  multitude  meant,  they 
told  him  "  Jesus  of  Nazareth  passeth  by."  It 
is  a  happy  thing  when  the  church  can  say 
of  all  its  great  movements  and  excitements, 
"Jesus  is  passing  by."  This  is  a  test  of  re- 
vivals, a  test  of  all  right  Christian  effort, — 
"  Jesus  passeth  by."  This  is  the  test  too  of  a 
good  sermon.    "  The  excellency  of  a  sermon," 


BLIND    BARTIMEUS.  79 

says  Flavel,  "  lies  in  the  plainest  discoveries 
and  liveliest  applications  of  Jesus  Christ." 

They  announce  that  Jesus  is  near.  What 
blessed  tidings  to  Bartimeus!  In  this  you  all 
agree.  It  was  a  great  thing  for  him  to  liave 
his  eyes  opened.  From  these  far-off  ages  your 
sj'mpathies  run  back  and  mingle  "with  his 
agitation  of  joy.  To  have  the  eyes  opened — 
to  see  for  tL^e  first  time  !  The  rapture  must  be 
indescribable. 

And  when  I  announce  the  nearness  of 
Jesus,  now  and  here,  to  you,  0  sinner,  why 
is  not  the  news  joyful?  Was  it  much  that 
those  eyes  should  be  opened  upon  a  world 
darkened  by  the  curse,  and  stained  by  the 
shadow  of  death,  and  furrowed  so  roughly 
with  graves?  eyes  often  to  be  dimmed  with 
tears  and  soon  with  age  ?  eyes  whose  brief 
light  death  should  soon  quench  with  the  clods 
of  the  valley,  and  leave  their  hollow  sockets 
to  be  nests  for  worms?  Yes,  yes,  I  confess 
it,  even  this  was  much.  But  oh,  tell  me,  in 
your  turn,  is  it  nothmg  to  you  that  Jesus  is 
again  near,  and  that  your  eyes  may  this  day 
be  opened  to  the  light  of  the  Cross?    light 


80  BLIND   BARTIMEUS. 

fairer  than  the  moon,  clearer  than  the  sun,  and 
making  earth  radiant  with  the  glories  of 
heaven?  light  which  often  streams  brightest 
in  death,  gilding  even  the  dark  valley  ?  light 
of  the  everlasting  Throne,  on  which,  with 
saints  and  angels,  you  may  gaze  for  ever  ? 

And  is  it  tidings  of  this  light  alone,  which 
cannot  agitate  ?  Is  it  only  eternal  salvation 
that  is  a  trifle  ?  Is  it  only  because  the  offered 
blessedness  is  absolutely  immeasurable  and 
everlasting,  that  it  is  not  worth  your  thought 
or  care  ? 

Miserable  souls !  so  blind  that  you  do  not 
know  your  blindness,  so  blind  that  you  do 
not  believe  it,  though  God  declares  it,  my 
business  now  is  to  tell  you  that  Jesus  Christ 
is  near, — He  passeth  by !  Now  is  your  time  ; 
make  haste  to  secure  your  salvation.  How 
near  He  is  !  He  passeth  by  in  the  light  of 
every  Sabbath  sun,  in  every  church  built  to 
His  Name,  in  every  reading  of  His  Word, 
in  every  gospel  sermon,  in  sacraments  and 
prayers  and  psalms,  but  most  of  all  in  every 
movement  of  His  Spirit  on  the  heart.  K  you 
feel  under  the  truth,  if  your  conscience  con- 


BLIND   BARTIMEUS.  81 

firms  what  God  declares,  if  you  have  been 
made  even  uneasy  in  your  sin,  if  like  Felix 
you  have  trembled,'  or  like  Agrippa  have 
*  been  almost  persuaded  to  be  a  Christian,^  oh, 
let  me  tell  you  that  /  did  not  work  any  of 
these  things  in  your  heart.  Who  am  I,  that 
I  can  put  a  pulse  in  the  heart  of  death ?^ 
They  are  not  my  work,  and  I  dare  not  claim 
the  glory  of  them/  God's  Spirit  has  been 
stirring  in  your  heart,  striving  with  you  for 
your  eternal  salvation  !  What  an  awfulness 
does  that  give  to  these  services  !  Jesus,  God 
manifest  in  the  flesh,^  is  here,  by  His  gracious 
Spirit.'  He  fills  every  ordinance/  He  moves 
from  heart  to  heart.  You  are  in  His  tremen- 
dous presence,  under  His  omniscient  eye,  in 
the  grasp  of  His  infinite  power,  in  the  gracious 
sphere  of  His  healing  love. 

But  He  "  passeth  hy  P  He  will  not  always 
tarry.8  The  day  of  grace  is  not  for  ever.'  Its 
sun  will  go  down,  and  the  night  that  follows 
is  eternal  despair.'"     Christ  never  passed  that 

*  Acts,  xxiv.  25.         *  Acts,  xxvi.  28.      '  2  Kings,  v.  6. 

*  Ps.  CX7.  1.  "1  Tim.,  iii.  16.        s  John,  xvi.  7,  8. 
''  Mat.,  xviiL  20.         ^  John,  xii.  35,  36.    »  Gen.,  vi.  3. 

1"  John,  viii.  21,  24  ;  Luke.  xix.  42. 


82  BLIND  BARTIMEUS. 

way  again ;  He  may  never  pass  your  way 
again.  That  was  His  last  visit  to  Jericho ; 
this  call  may  be  His  last  visit  to  you.  This 
was  Bartimeus'  only  opportunity  ;  to-day  may 
be  your  only  opportunity.'  Woe,  woe,  to 
Bartimeus,  if  he  lose  this  golden  season !  If 
he  does  he  shall  die  in  his  blindness.  Woe, 
a  heavier  woe  to  you,  O  sinner,  if  3^0 a  slight 
this,  your  golden  season,  for  securing  this  great 
salvation  P  This  moment  may  decide  your 
doom.    Fly  to  Jesus  Christ ! 

*  2  Cor.,  vl  2.  "^  Heb.,  iL  3 


.  III. 

"  And  -when  he  heard  that  it  was  Jesus  of  Nazarelh,  he  be- 
gan to  cry  out  and  say,  Jesus,  thou  Son  of  David,  have 
mercy  on  me  1" 

I E  left  Bartimeus  listening  to  his  first 
gospel  sermon.  The  preachers  seem 
to  have  done  their  part  well.  At 
any  rate  their  message  was  good. 
It  was  simple,  straight-forward  and 
altogether  about  Jesus  Christ. 

We  do  not  know  how  they  spoke.  It  would 
be  pleasant,  for  their  sakes,  to  know  that  they 
showed  a  proper  sympathy  with  the  precious 
words  they  were  saying,  and  with  the  poor 
man  who  heard  them.  But  if  we  cannot  tell 
this,  we  know  what  concerns  us  far  more, — ■ 
that  they  told  him  the  very  thing  he  needed. 
However  rude  in  speech,  they  have  let  him 
know  that  the  Healer  of  the  blind  is  near ; 
and  I  am  sure  that  nothing  they  could  say 
about  any  thing  else  could  make  up  for  not 


84  BLIND   BARTIMEUS. 

telling  liim  that.  The  most  eloquent  harangue 
on  th"e  politics  of  the  times,  though  Pilate  and 
Herod  and  CaBsar,  and  Roman  eagles  and  Jew- 
ish banners,  and  liberty  and  nationality  and 
destiny  had  rolled  with  splendid  imagery 
through  sounding  periods,  would  have  been  a 
sad  exchange  for  those  simple  words, — "  Jesus 
of  Nazareth  passeth  by."  Nor  would  Aris- 
totle's keenest  logic,  nor  Plato's  finest  specu- 
lations have  served  a  whit  better.  The  man 
was  blind,  and  wanted  his  eyes  opened ;  and 
till  this  was  done,  these  things,  however  set 
forth,  were  but  trash  and  mockery. 

Mockery  ?  Are  not  the  preachers  of  Grod's 
Word  stewards  in  Christ's  House?'  And  has 
He  not  made  ready  to  our  hands  boundless 
stores  for  perishing  sinners,  and  bidden  us 
give  as  freely  as  we  have  received?^  And 
when  hungry  souls  come  at  our  call  to  the 
gospel  feast  and  wait  to  be  fed,  if  we  give 
them  dry  husks  of  philosophy  for  the  "  strong 
meat"  of  doctrine,  the  "  stone"  of  hard  meta- 
physics for  the  living  bread  of  God's  saving 
truth,  and  the  "  scorpion"  of  envenomed  po- 
1  1  Cor.,  iv.  1,  2 ;  1  Pet.,  iv.  10.  '  Mat,  x.  8. 


BLIND   BARTIMEUS.  85 

litical  faaaticism  for  tlie  sincere  milk  of  the 
word,  clusters  from  Esbcol,  water  from  the 
Eiver  of  Life,  wine  of  gladness,  and  manna 
still  wet  witli  the  dews  with  which,  it  came 
down  from  heaven,* — is  it  not  bitterest  mock- 
ery of  the  deepest  sorrows  and  basest  treachery 
to  the  highest  trusts  ? 

Nay,  if  these  preachers  told  their  glad  tidings 
in  an  unfeeling  way,  it  was  a  great  wrong, — » 
a  wrong  to  themselves  and  Bartimeus  and 
sucli  blessed  truth,  but  still  a  wrong  immea- 
surably less  than  not  to  have  told  such  truth, 
in  whatever  way. 

But  if  the  preacher's  responsibility  is  so 
dreadful,  I  pray  you,  has  the  hearer  no  re- 
sponsibility? If  these  men  tell  Bartimeus 
that  Jesus  passeth  by,  though  in  a  way  hav- 
ing what  faults  you  please,  will  he  not  be  the 
most  besotted  of  fools,  if  he  turns  from  this 
glorious  opportunity,  and  gropes  his  way  back 
to  his  hovel,  to  sit  down  there  in  poverty  and 
darkness,  and  sneer  or  laugh  or  be  angry  at 
these  failures   in   manner   or   spirit?     These 

■  Heb.,  V.  14;  Luke,  xi.  11,  12;  1  Pet.,  ii.  2  Numb.,  xiii. 
23 ;  Rev.,  xxii.  1 ;  Numb.,  xi.  9. 

8 


86  BLIND   BARTIMEUS. 

things  concern  them,  and  they  must  answer 
for  them  to  God,  but  what  concerns  him  but 
that  he  is  blind,  and  now  "Jesus  of  Naza- 
reth passeth  by?" 

Take  heed,  therefore,  how  ye  hear,'  is  the 
warning  of  Christ.  O  there  is  much  in  that ! 
K  we  must  take  heed  to  our  preaching,  you 
must  take  heed  to  your  hearing.  If  an  awfal 
account  must  be  given  from  the  pulpit,  one 
hardly  less  awful  must  be  given  from  the  pew. 
If  it  is  no  light  thing  to  preach  the  gospel,  you 
will  find  that  it  is  no  light  thing  to  hear  the 
gospel.  Eternal  salvation  depends  on  right 
hearing.  There  are  just  two  kinds  of  hearing, 
not  three.  There  is  a  hearing  unto  life,  and 
another  hearing  unto  death  ;  but  there  is  no 
hearing  between, — none  to  indifference.  You 
may  try  to  hear  merely  that  you  may  hear, 
and  let  that  be  the  end  of  it, — ^but  that  will 
not  be  the  end  of  it.  The  end  of  it  will  be 
life  or  death !  You  may  resolve  that  the 
preaching  shall  make  no  difference  in  you, — 
but  it  will  make  a  difference  in  you,  and  the 
difference  will  be  salvation  or  perdition  I    The 

*  Luke,  viii.  18. 


BLIND  BAKTIMEUS.  87 

gospel  leaves  no  man  where  it  found  him.  If 
it  be  not  wings  to  bear  him  to  heaven,  it  will 
be  a  mill-stone  to  sink  him  to  hell.  Some  of 
you  think  it  the  lightest  of  pastimes  to  come 
to  church  and  hear  a  sermon.  I  warn  you 
that  this  is  a  fearful  mistake.  I  will  speak  to 
you  in  the  words  of  God :  We  are  ambassadors 
for  Christ,  as  though  God  did  beseech  you  by 
us :  we  pray  you  in  Christ's  stead,  be  ye  rec- 
onciled to  God.^  "We  are  unto  God  a  sweet 
savor  of  Christ,  in  them  that  are  saved  and 
in  them  that  perish :  to  the  one  we  are  the 
savor  of  death  unto  death ;  and  to  the  other 
the  savor  of  life  unto  life.^  If  our  gospel  be, 
hid,  it  is  hid  to  them  that  are  lost.*  This  is 
true  always.  It  is  true  to-day, — of  this  ser- 
mon. As  God  is  true,  this  process  is  now 
going  on  in  every  hearer.  Each  one  of  you 
is  this  moment  fitting  either  for  blessedness 
with  God,  or  for  His  wrath  in  hell ;  for  which, 
depends  on  one  thing  alone, — how  you  are 
now  hearing.  Take  heed  then,  and  that  you 
may  do  this  the  more  intelligently,  see  further 
how  Bartimeus  heard.     I  think  we  shall  find 

» 2  Cor.,  V.  20.         2  2  Gov.,  ii.  15,  16.         =2  Cor.,  iv.  3. 


88  BLIND   BARTIMEUS. 

most  of  the  marks  of  a  good  hearer  in  him, 
and  I  shall  notice  none  other. 

I.  His  hearing  led  him  to  action.  His  very 
soul  seemed  to  be  roused,  and  he  began  txD  do 
something. 

In  contrast  with  this  we  see  the  great  fault 
of  gospel  hearers  in  this  day.  It  is  not  that 
you  are  not  polite  and  attentive  hearers. 
Your  orderly  sitting  and  solemn  listening  are 
even  beyond  our  expectation.  When  Paul 
and  Stephen  and  Christ  preached,  the  peo- 
ple often  made  a  tumult.  They  mocked ;  they 
sneered ;  they  cried  out  and  threw  dust  into  the 
air.  They  were  ready  to  beat  and  kill  them.* 
You'do  none  of  these  things,  I  often  wonder 
you  do  not.  It  sometimes  makes  me  fear  I 
have  not  dealt  faithfully  with  you.  Yet  I  try- 
to  preach  as  plainly  as  they  did.  I  take  their 
very  words,  and  in  the  name  of  God  speak 
them  boldly  to  you.  I  do  not  abate  one  jot 
of  their  terrible  energy  and  point.  Yea,  I  take 
the  sword  of  the  Spirit,  which  is  the  word  of 
God,''  and  with  unsparing  hand  lay  open  your 
hearts.  I  repeat  the  tremendous  descriptions 
'  John,  viii,  59 ;  Acts,  xxii.  22,  23,  &c.,  &c.        =  Eph.,  vi  17. 


BLIND    BARTIMEL'S.  89 

which  God  has  given  of  them  ;  I  apply  the 
dreadful  names  bj  which  He  has  called  you ; 
I  sound  aloud  the  threats  of  His  wrath ;  I 
strive  in  every  way  to  make  you  feel  that  I 
am  personal, — that  I  mean  you, — every  unre- 
generate  soul ;  and  for  these  things  in  Christ's 
day,  they  would  have  gnashed  on  me  with 
their  teeth  and  hurled  me  out  of  the  city; 
while  you  listen  so  calmly,  so  complacently, 
that  I  cannot  tell  saint  from  sinner;  the  men 
against  whom  God's  curses  are  thundered,  from 
those  to  whom  His  eternal  blessing  is  sealed; 
the  men,  who  through  sovereign  grace  are 
washed,  who  are  sanctified,  who  are  justified  in 
the  name  of  the  Lord  Jesus,  and  by  the  Spirit 
of  our  God,'  from  those  who  are  lying  in  wick- 
edness," the  enemies  of  the  cross  of  Christ,' 
condemned  already,*  and  in  ijastant  danger  of 
the  vengeance  of  eternal  fire  !' 

Is  it  not  a  marvel  ?  What  ails  you,  O  man, 
that  nothing  can  rouse  you — if  not  to  feel 
right,  at  least  to  feel  at  all  ?  if  not  to  rise  and 
lay  hold  on  eternal  life,"  at  least  to  stir  in  your 

'  1  Cor.,  vi.  11.  2 1  John,  v.  19.  '  p|^_^  jj|^  jg^ 

*  John,  iii.  18.  Miide,  vii.  °  1  Tim.,  vi.  12. 


90  BLIND   BARTIMEUS, 

tomb,  and  give  us  some  token  for  hope  thai 
you  are  not  already  past  feeling/ — ^blind,  deaf, 
dead,  spiritually,  utterly,  everlastingly  dead ! 

Oh,  .for  a  pulse  of  life  in  those  frozen 
hearts !  A  flush  of  blood,  even  though  it 
were  angry  blood,  in  those  pale  cheeks  !  Give 
me  Saul  breathing  out  threatenings  and  slaugh- 
ters, rather  than  Gallio  caring  for  none  of 
these  things.^  Some  arrow  of  truth  has  pierced 
the  heart  of  Saul  or  he  would  not  rage  so; 
and  soon  3'ou  read  of  him  as  Paul  the  Apostle. 
But  I  fear  Gallio  went  on  in  his  careless  way, 
till  the  pains  of  hell  made  him  care  for  ever. 

"  I  came  to  break  your  head,"  said  a  man 
once  to  Whitefield,  "  but  by  the  grace  of  God 
you  have  broken  my  heart."  That  was  a  vile 
purpose  to  go  to  church  with,  but  if  he  had 
gone  in  a  complacent  frame,  and  quietly  slept 
or  coolly  criticised  the  preacher,  it  would  have 
been  far  woree.  He  would  not  have  carried 
away  that  priceless  treasure — a  broken  heart. 

If  what  we  say  is  true,  why  do  you  not  act 
upon  it?  If  false,  how  can  you  bear  to  be 
charged  with  it?     If  our  charges  are   f\dse, 

'  ISph.,  iy.  19.  "^  Acts,  ix.  1 ;  xviii.  17. 


BLIND  BARTIMEUS.  91 

they  are  also  insulting  and  outrageous.  K 
you  believe  them  to  be  felse,  your  conduct,  in 
hearing  them  so  calmly,  and  coming  back  to 
hear  them  again,  and  even  sometimes  applaud- 
ing us  for  the  vehement  way  in  which  we  as- 
sail and  denounce  you,  is  perfectly  astonish- 
ing. Why  look  at  it !  You  gather  in  a  church 
on  a  Sabbath  iiiorning,  and  we  strip  away  all 
your  hopes,  one  by  one;  we  weigh  all  your 
moralities  and  good  deeds  in  the  scale  of 
God's  law,  and,  by  God's  authority,  write 
"  wanting"  on  every  one ;'  we  cast  the  light 
of  heaven  on  your  boasted  righteousness,  and 
the  comely  robe,  in  which  you  were  so  confi- 
dently wrapped,  turns  to  rags  and  filthiness  ;^ 
we  press  on  into  your  very  heart,  and  in  God's 
name,  pronounce  it  deceitful  above  all  things 
and  desperately  wicked  f  and  when  we  have 
left  you  thus  naked,  helpless,  guilty  and  with- 
out hope,  we  show  you  the  storm  which  death, 
devils  and  hell  are  urging  on,  and  vv^hich  waits 
only  for  the  nod  of  the  sin-avenging  God, 
whom  you  have  made  your  enemy,  and  are 
now  provoking  to  sweep  you  as  chaff  into 

•  Rom.,  iii.  20.  "  Lsa.,  Ixiv.  6.  '  Jer.,  xvii.  9, 


92  BLIND   BARTIMEUS. 

ruin  beyond  redemption  ;^ — and  believing  all 
this  to  be  false,  you  bear  it,  and  go  out  smil- 
ing, and  say  tbat  was  a  good  sermon,  and  you 
like  to  bear  a  man  preach  that  way;  and  that 
night  or  the  next  Sabbath  you  come  back  to 
hear  the  same  things  again ! 

Or  if  you  say  you  believe  these  things  to 
be  true,  your  conduct  is  still  more  amazing. 
K  true,  they  should  concern  you  infinitely : 
yet  you  are  not  concerned  at  all.  If  true, 
they  are  of  eternal  weight,  and  should  over- 
ride every  business,  care  and  pleasure  in  the 
world ;  jet  the  lightest  trifle  of  time  overrides 
them,  and  tramples  them  in  the  dust  and 
buries  them  in  utter  forgetfulness.  You  will 
call  Bartimeus  a  fool  if  he  does  not  try  to  get 
his  eyes  opened  this  very  day.  But  what 
name  will  3'ou  reserve  for  yourselves,  if,  while 
I  this  day,  as  one  of  these  ambassadors  of 
God,  offer  you  pardon  and  healing  and  eternal 
life  through  Jesus  Christ,  who  now  passes  by 
to  bestow  tliem,  you  once  more  refuse  the 
Saviour,  and  go  on  as  before  toward  perdi- 
tion? 

"  Job,  xxi.  18. 


BLIND   BARTIMEUS.  93 

But  Bartimeus  is  no  fool.  As  he  hears  he 
acts.  "  Jesus  of  Nazareth  passeth  by,"  say 
the  multitude,  and  straightway  the  blind  eyes 
fill  with  tears,  the  faded  cheeks  flush  with 
hope,  the  hands  are  out-stretched  in  supplica- 
tion, and  his  very  soul  pours  out  in  the  cry, 
"Jesus,  Son  of  David,  have  mercy  on  me  !" 

II.  This  reveals  to  us  the  second  mark  of 
right  hearing; — It  fills  a  man  with  earnestness. 
If  he  has  heard  such  truth  as  he  ought,  he  not 
only  acts,  but  acts  with  energy.  Thus  Barti- 
meus acted.  "  When  he  heard  he  cried  out." 
The  word  means  a  great  and  strong  cry.  The 
multitude  was  around  him ;  but  he  cared  not 
for  that.  They  were  mostly  strangers  to  him ; 
but  he  cared  not  for  that.  Those  who  did 
know  him  knew  him  as  a  beggar ;  but  he 
cared  not  for  that.  He  had  never  been  in  the 
presence  of  Christ  before ;  but  even  this  did 
not  deter  him.  Beggar  as  he  was,  he  "  cried 
out"  before  Him,  before  them  all.  He  felt 
too  deeply  the  bitterness  of  blindness,  the 
misery  of  poverty,  the  degradation  of  beg- 
gary, to  think  of  these  things. 

So  it  must  be  with  you,  O  sinners.     If  you 


94  BLIND   BARTIMEUS. 

would  enter  heaven  you  must  be  in  earnest 
about  it.'  Men  were  brought  on  beds  to  Christ 
to  be  healed,'^  but  no  man  ever  went  to  heaven 
lying  on  his  bed  and  borne  on  the  shoulders 
of  others.  In  the  preparations  needful  for  gain- 
ing heaven^  I  find  an  account  of  many  pieces 
of  hard  armor/  but  no  mention  of  a  bed. 
There  they  rest  in  their  beds/  but  our  rest  is 
not  yet.  You  will  never  wake  up  some  fine 
morning  and  find  yourself  pious.  The  great 
change  will  not  steal  softly  over  you  while . 
you  sit  at  ease.  You  must  be  awake,  and  up, 
and  at  it.  You  must  strive,  says  Christ/ — 
Strive  like  a  wrestler  who  has  his  foe  and  his 
match ; — Strive  like  a  runner,  when  the  race 
is  long  and  the  runners  many,  and  but  one 
can  win ; — Strive  as  the  soldier,  when  the 
conflict  is  sharp,  and  he  who  conquers  not 
must  die.°  Such  is  the  Scripture  usage  of 
that  'striving'  by  which  we  enter  into  life. 
The  word  is  full  of  earnestness, — 'Aywvi^ea0«, — 
earnestness  even  to  '  agony  !' 

'  Mat,  xi.  12.        ""  Mark,  ii.  2,  3.  ^  Eph.,  vi.  11-18. 

*  Isa.,  Ivii.  2.  ^  Luke,  xiii.  24. 

•  1  Cor.,  ix.  24^27;  1  Tim.,  vi.  12. 


BLIND   BARTIMEUS.  95 

Let  us  now  see  how  this  earnestness  found 
expression.  So  shall  we  have  another  mark 
of  true  hearing. 

III.  When  the  gospel  is  heard  aright,  it 
leads  to  ]irayer.  This  was  the  first  thing  Bar- 
timeus  did,  when  he  was  told  that  Jesus  was 
passing  bj, — he  prayed.  And  this  is  always 
the  first  thing  for  a  lost  sinner  who  hears  of 
Christ, — let  him  pray.  A  soul  truly  in  ear- 
nest after  salvation  iviil  cry  for  help.  If  a 
man  feels  his  just  exposure  to  wrath,  he  will 
be  full  of  anguish,  and  his  anguish  will  con- 
strain him  to  cry  out.  For  what  is  prayer 
but  human  need  craving  the  divine  fulness, 
the  wretchedness  of  earth  begging  the  conso- 
lations of  heaven,  man's  guilt  beseeching  the 
mercy  of  God?  By  prayer  the  helplessness 
of  the  creature  clings  to  the  strength  of  the 
Creator.  Prayer  is  a  voice  from  nature's 
wound  calling  to  the  heavenly  Healer. 

Self-preservation  is  the  first  law  of  nature, 
and  when  our  strength  fails,  prayer  is  nature's 
messenger  for  helpers.  It  may  be  the  shriek 
of  fright,  the  scream  of  torture,  the  imploring 
eye,  the  quivering  lip,  the  clasped  hands,  the 


96  BLIND   BARTIMEUS. 

pleading  tongue,  or  any  of  the  thousand 
forms  by  which  heart  speaks  to  heart ; — these 
are  nature's  prayers. 

And  when  did  nature  fail  to  pray  in  her 
need?  Hunger  will  beg  and  pain  cry  out. 
Though  the  fever  have  caused  madness,  the 
sufferer  will  still  cry  for  water.  None  need 
teach  the  babe  to  clamor  for  its  nurture. 
Birds  can  plead  for  their  young,  and  the  dog 
entreat  you,  with  all  the  power  of  speech,  to 
follow  him  to  the  forest  where  his  master  lies 
robbed  and  bleeding. 

And  has  the  soul  no  voice  in  its  sickness 
unto  death  ?  Is  the  instinct  of  the  brute  a 
sure  guide,  and  do  the  reason  and  conscience 
of  men  slumber  or  lie?  Or  are  they  quick- 
sighted  and  honest  about  bodily  wants  and 
earthly  things,  only  to  show  themselves  utterly 
besotted,  when  glory,  honor  and  immortality 
are  at  stake?  When  your  souls  are  in  jeo- 
pardy, must  you  be  plied  with  such  urgency, 
before  you  will  cry  for  help  ?  Alas,  I  see  you 
lying  in  the  arms  of  Satan,  bound  hand  and 
foot  with  his  hellish  letters,  and  borne  swiftly 


BLIND   BARTIMEUS.  97 

away  into  liis  region  of  outer  darkness.'  His 
cruel  eye  glares  on  you,  in  anticipation  of  the 
tortures  lie  will  soon  begin  on  your  helpless 
soul.  Further  and  further  from  hope  and 
heaven  he  bears  you,  the  frown  of  God  is  on 
you,  and  the  shadows  of  night  are  deepening 
around  you.  Thicker  grows  the  gloom,  when 
flash  !  flash !  shoot  up  the  flames  of  hell,  as  it 
is  moved  from  beneath  to  meet  you  at  your 
coming.  Ah,  why  are  you  not  terrified  ?  Why 
do  we  hear  no  cry  of  alarm,  no  call  for  help  ? 
Does  your  soul  know  no  law  of  self-preserva- 
tion? Has  it  no  instinct  of  terror?  Does 
Eeason  see  nothing  fearful  in  the  blackness  of 
darkness,  the  pangs  of  undying  remorse,  the 
torments  of  unquenchable  fire?*  Can  it  be 
that  you  believe  these  things  ?  You  say  you 
do,  but  can  it  be,  when  they  do  not  move  you 
to  prayer?  When  God  calls  you  from  the 
secret  place  of  thunder,^  shall  His  voice  be 
unregarded?  When  He  declares  that  these 
things  truly  describe  your  woful  state,  will  you 

'  1  Jolin,  V.  19;  "lieth  in  wickedness;"  ralher,  (it  is  gen- 
erally agreed,)  "in  the  Wicked  One."  2  Tim.,  ii.  2G ;  Eph., 
ii.  2  Mude,  13;  Mark,  ix.  4;^,  44,  45,  46,  47,  4S. 

■'   Psalm  Ixxxi.  1. 

9 


98  BLIND   BAETIMEUS. 

give   Him  the  lie  by  your  indifference,  and 
still  sleep  on  as  you  fast  post  to  hell  ? 

Sinners,  be  entreated  to  pray.  You  must 
pray  or  perish.  No  sinner  ever  went  to  heaven 
without  prayer.  Grod's  curse  is  on  the  prayer- 
less.  The  tongue  that  will  not  call  on  Him 
for  mercy,  shall  consume  in  the  fires  of  His 
wrath.  Sleep  now  or  not,  you  will  not  sleep 
long.  If  the  voice  of  grace,  sometimes  warn- 
ing, sometimes  inviting,  cannot  wake  you  and 
bring  you  to  your  knees,  God  will  try  the 
voice  of  unmixed  vengeance.  He  will  see 
whether  the  shout  of  the  Archangel  and  the 
trump  of  God  will  fail.  Ah!  then  you  will 
wake,  to  sleep  no  more.  Then  you  will  come 
to  your  knees,  for  the  weight  of  the  Omnipo- 
tent hand  will  bring  you  down.  The  stoutest 
devil  will  bend  and  you  will  crouch  beside 
him,  for  God  has  sworn  by  Himself  that  to 
Him  every  knee  shall  bow.*  Then  you  will 
pray,  but  you  had  as  well  not,  only  you  can- 
not help  it.'  You  will  pray  like  Dives, ^ — 
pray  even  to  a  maa,  you  who  now  will  not 
pray  to  God ;  pray  for  a  drop  of  water,  you 

'  Is.,  xlv.  23.     -  Prov.,  i.  24-28.     '  Luke,  xvL  23-26. 


BLIND   BARTIMEUS.  99 

wlio  now  will  not  pray  for  Leaven;  pray  for 
that  poor  drop  at  the  hand  of  a  despised  beg- 
gar, you  who  now  will  not  accept  infinite 
blessings  from  the  Hand  that  made  the  world, 
and  was  nailed  to  the  Cross  for  our  salvation  ! 
Thus  shall  you  pray.  But  how  will  the  an- 
swer pierce  you  with  remorse  and  freeze  you 
in  despair.  "  Son,  remember  !"  Compelled  re- 
membrance is  the  deathless  sting  of  remorse. 
"  A  great  gulf  fixed  !"  There  is  the  necessity 
and  seal  of  unending  despair.  Pray  then, 
pray !  while  you  hear  that  "  Jesus  of  Naza- 
reth passeth  by." 

IV.  And  do  it  at  once.  Promi^tness  is  an- 
other mark  of  a  good  hearer  of  the  gospel.  It 
is  found  in  Bartimeus.  "  And  when  he  heard," 
that  is,  as  soon  as  he  heard,  "he  began  to  cry 
out." 

But  what  need  of  such  haste?  "Jesus  is 
going  slowly,"  he  might  say,  "  and  some  little 
while  must  pass  before  He  is  gone.  Be  sure 
I  will  be  in  time." 

Do  you  never  reason  so  ?  "  There  is  time 
enough  yet.  My  life  goes  slowly ;  my  health 
is  firm  ;  I  shall  certainly  be  in  lime." 


100  BLIND   BARTIMEUS. 

5roai-  life  !  your  health  ! 

"  Great  God !  on  what  a  slender  thread 
Hang  everlasting  things !" 

"  Or  if  he  does  get  a  little  out  of  sight," 
Bartimeus  might  saj,  "while  I  am  attending 
to  some  little  matters,  I  will  run  after  Him 
and  call  Him.  I  will  never  think  of  let- 
ting Him  get  out  of  hearing.  I  will  be  in 
time." 

And  is  not  this  your  way  ?  Are  you  not 
letting  mercies  and  opportunities  slip  by,  and 
running  the  frightful  risk  that  they  may  all 
pass  away,  and  leave  you  on  a  death-bed,  to 
call,  in  helpless  agitation  and  dismay,  for  Sab- 
baths and  sermons  aud  Jesus  Christ,  rejected 
often,  and  now  gone  beyond  your  call — gone 
for  ever  ? 

"  But  I  only  want  a  little  time,  and  that  for 
most  important  business,"  Bartimeus  might 
plead. 

Why  man,  what  business  can  you  have  now, 
but  getting  your  blind  eyes  opened? 

"  O  that  is  the  chief  thing  to  be  sure,  and  I 
mean  to  attend  to  that.     It  would  never  do  to 


BLIND   BARTIMEUS.  101 

neglect  that  greatest  of  matters.  Ah,  would 
that  they  were  open  now !  But  really,  I  must 
go  about  in  this  crowd  for  a  few  minutes, 
and  collect  what  alms  I  can.     I  must  live !" 

Before  any  of  you  undertakes  to  rebuke 
this  supposed  reply  too  harshly,  see  if  he  had 
not  more  cause  than  you  think,  for  such  a 
course ;  nay,  if  he  had  not  all  the  reasons 
that  men  now  urge  for  neglecting  their  salva- 
tion. 

Begging  was  his  regular  business,  the  only 
way  he  had  of  supporting  himself,  and  possi- 
bly, a  helpless  family.  Is  not  that  excuse 
thought  a  good  one  in  this  day  ?  Did  you 
never  use  it?  Is  it  not  often  heard  in  this 
form? — "  I  am  in  a  business  in  which  I  cavHt 
be  a  Christian.  I  am  connected  with  the  rail- 
road, or  the  Post-Office,  and  am  required  to 
labor  on  the  Sabbath.  I  am  very  sorry  it  is 
so,  and  I  mean  some  day  to  get  out  of  it  and 
attend  to  religion." 

Would  to  God  our  groaning  land  were  de- 
livered from  the  curse  of  Sunday  mails  and 
Sunday  railway  trains,  and  all  the  oppressions 
and  abominations  they  drag  after  them  !  But 
9* 


102  BLINJJ    BAETIMEUS. 

while  they  last,  the  duty  of  men,  who  fear 
God  and  mean  to  save  their  souls,  is  clear; 
and  that  is,  to  jDrotest  against  them,  pray 
against  them,  and  above  all,  stand  aloof  from 
them,  if  they  would  not  have  the  blood  of 
God's  "murdered  Sabbaths"  staining  their 
skirts  and  crying  from  the  ground  for  ven- 
geance. Whatever  your  business,  if  it  stands 
in  the  way  of  your  serving  God,  it  is  wrong, 
and  you  must  give  it  up,  or  keep  it  at  the  cost 
of  losing  Christ.'  It  may  try  you  sorely,  but 
you  had  better  pluck  out  a  right  eye,  or  cut 
off  a  right  hand,  than  be  cast  into  hell." 

I  miss  the  honest  face  of  a  German,  who 
used  to  be  in  his  seat  every  Sabbath  morning 
and  night,  listening  anxiously  to  the  Word  of 
God.  For  many  years  he  had  faithfully  served 
one  of  our  railroad  companies  through  seven 
days  of  the  week.  But  at  length  his  conscience 
was  awakened,  and  he  could  no  longer  serve 
them  on  the  Sabbath.  Six  days  lie  would 
labor  hard,  but  God's  day  he  must  have  for 
God.  So  he  gave  up  his  place.  It  was  in  the 
winter  of  1854r-5   too,    when   thousands  of 

'  Mat.,  vi.  24 ;   xvi.  2-t.  "  Mat.,  v.  29.  30. 


BLIND   BARTIMEUS.  103 

workmen  were  thrown  out  of  employment, 
and  when  men  already  out  had  almost  no 
hope  of  getting  in.  But  in  the  face  of  all 
this  he  gave  up  his  place.  Then  month  after 
month  passed  by,  and  brought  no  relief;  not 
one  dollar  could  he  earn.  The  savings  of 
years  of  toil  were  fast  consuming,  and  soon 
his  family  would  be  suffering,  and  still  he 
could  not  get  employment.  Then  his  old 
place  was  offered  him,  and  it  was  a  sore  temp- 
tation. But  God's  Law  stood  up  in  his  way, 
and  bade  him  beware.  So  he  was  strength- 
ened, and  still  trusted  in  God  and  obeyed  His 
Word.  For  long  months  more  were  his  faith 
and  patience  tried,  until  at  last,  with  a  reluc- 
tant but  determined  heart,  he  left  the  city,  and 
sought  in  the  far  West  a  new  home,  where 
by  the  sweat  of  his  brow  he  might  earn  his 
bread,  and  still  have  "  freedom  to  worship 
God." 

If  all  true  men  would  do  likewise,  God 
would  soon  right  their  wrongs.  He  would 
teach  our  government  and  these  huge  corpo- 
rations, that  though  they  have  joined  hand  in 
hand  to  defy  the  God  of  heaven,  they  shall 


104  BLIND   BARTIMEUS. 

not  go  unpunished.  He  is  yet  a  God  that 
judgeth  in  the  earth.  As  they  tempt  men  to 
transgression,  He  will  brand  them  with  the 
curse  of  Jeroboam,  the  son  of  ISTebat,  who 
made  Israel  to  sin.*  He  will  set  His  face 
against  them  in  dreadful  Providences.  He 
has  dealt  with  our  nation  as  He  did  with 
Israel  of  old,  in  great  goodness.  We  may- 
yet  have  to  learn,  as  they  have,  in  exile  and 
tears,  His  severity  also.^  And  these  powerful 
companies  will  find  that,  if  their  requirements 
and  God's  come  in  conflict,  their  best  servants 
will  leave  them,  and  then  their  places  of  high 
trust  must  be  filled  by  those  who  fear  not  God, 
and  therefore  regard  not  man,^  and  then  swift 
damage  and  ruin  must  come  upon  them,  until 
they  repent  and  learn  righteousness. 

Meantime,  let  all  who  suffer  for  conscience' 
sake  take  this  good  word  of  Christ  for  their 
consolation ;  Verily  I  say  unto  you,  there  is 
no  man  that  hath  left  house,  or  parents,  or 
brethren,  or  wife,  or  children  for  the  King- 
dom of  God's  sake,  who  shall  not  receive  mani- 

'  1  Kings,  x'j.  2G-;!0  ;    xiii.  34.  '■'  Rom.,  xi.  22 

*  Luke.  x\^ii  4. 


BLIND   BARTIMEUS.  105 

fold  more  in  this  present  time,  and  in  the 
world  to  come,  life  everlasting  I* 

But  if  Bartimeus  choose  to  attend  to  his 
alms  instead  of  his  ejes,  see  if  he  has  not  a 
still  stronger  reason.  Begging  is  not  only  his 
business,  but  this  happens  to  be  a  very  ''  busy 
season,"  as  we  say  in  the  city,  or  "  harvest- 
time,"  as  they  say  in  the  country.  A  multi- 
tude was  passing!  When  had  he  such  a 
chance  before?  He  waits  day  after  day,  glad 
of  an  occasional  traveller ;  but  to-day  the  peo- 
ple pour  along  in  crowds,  and  can  he  afford  to 
leave  his  business  now  ?  Sight  is  no  doubt  a 
very  good  thing ;  but  suppose  all  these  people 
should  give  him  even  a  penny  a-piece, — think 
of  that !  He  might  go  home  almost  rich, — 
might  almost  retire  from  business  !  And  after 
all  has  not  Providence  given  him  this  oppor- 
tunity, and  would  it  be  exactly  right  to  throw 
it  away  ? 

So  have  I  heard  j)rofessors  of  religion  and 
non-professors  reason.  So  do  they  put  earth's 
business  above  all  the  calls  of  God.  With 
such  words  do  some  members  of  the  Church 

*  Luke,  xviii.  29,  30. 


106  BLIND   BARTIMEUS. 

throw  all  the  active  work  of  tlie  Church  on 
some  one  else  ;  yes,  on  others  as  busy  as  you, 
or  at  least,  as  busy  as  you  have  any  right  to 
be.  They  redeem  time,  or  take  time  at  a  sa- 
crifice, which  you  could  take,  and  should,  and 
would,  if  3'our  hearts  were  right  before  God. 
Some  of  you  make  business  and  busy  seasons, 
(which  seem  to  last  most  of  the  year,)  an  ex- 
cuse for  not  seeking  God,  and  some,  for  not 
serving  Him,  despite  all  your  professions  and 
vows.  Some  of  you  are  too  much  pressed 
ever  to  get  to  prayer-meetings,  or  the  services 
before  the  holy  Communion,  to  do  any  of 
the  work  of  the  Church,  by  which  her  influ- 
ence is  enlarged,  her  wheels  are  made  to  move 
on,  and  by  which  your  graces  might  be  en- 
riched and  manifested. 

In  the  dark  ages  men  sometimes  sold  them- 
selves by  deliberate  compact  to  the  devil.  For 
so  much  wealth  or  honor  he  should  have  their 
souls.  Men  rarely  do  that  now,  I  suppose,  in 
any  formal  way.  But  this  busy  age,  busy 
country,  and  busy  city,  are  binding  them  in 
chains,  and  sealing  them  for  hell,  as  surely  as 
any  infernal  sorceries.     When  men  say  they 


BLIND  BARTIMEUS.  107 

have  no  time  for  religion,  while  they  acknowl- 
edge its  divine  claims,  they  really  say,  "  Busi- 
ness, be  thou  my  God  I  I  devote  myself  to 
thee." 

Men  of  the  world !  You  must  take  time 
for  religion,  or  eternity  for  remorse.  If  you 
take  the  world  for  your  service,  you  must 
take  hell  for  your  reward,^ 

Men  of  the  Church  I  Your  whole  time  is 
God's,  and  you  must  use  it  for  His  glory,  so 
as  to  satisfy,  not  only  your  ungodly  business- 
partner,  and  your  torpid  conscience,  but  the 
severities  of  the  Judgment  Bar.  If  you  do 
not  always  make  the  world's  calls  yield  to 
Christ's,  then  you  deny  your  Saviour  and 
belie  your  profession.^ 

But  let  me  no  longer  misrepresent  Barti- 
meus,  even  in  supposition.  He  delays  not, 
but  makes  haste. 

Christ  is  passing,  and  he  may  be  too  late, 
and  therefore  he  is  in  haste. 

He  is  blind  and  feels  the  misery  of  blind- 
ness, and  therefore  he  is  in  haste. 

If  he  begs  first,  Christ  may  be  insulted  by 

1  Luke,  xvi.  25.  -  M:at,  x.  37-39. 


108  BLIND  BARTIMEUS. 

this  putting  of  filthy  lucre  before  His  healing 
power,  and  so  may  refuse  the  blessing  when 
it  is  sought,'  and  therefore  he  is  in  haste. 

And  sinner,  be  you  in  haste.  There  is  a 
limit  to  God's  long-suffering.  He  will  not  see 
His  calls  made  light  of  for  ever.  He  will  not 
stand  waiting  all  the  day  long.  His  Provi- 
dence and  grace  will  move  on.  His  voice  will 
be  silent.  He  will  noiselessly  withdraw,  and 
you  shall  call  after  Him  and  grope  after  Him 
for  ever,  but  never  find  Him  again  !* 

Y.  and  YI.  Two  other  marks  of  a  good 
hearer  of  the  gospel  are  found  in  Bartimeus. 
He  heard  with  Faith  and  Humility.  He  trust- 
ed in  Jesus  and  was  lowly  in  heart.  He  felt 
his  need  and  looked  to  Christ  for  aid.  Humil- 
ity laid  him  in  the  dust,  while  Faith  reached 
up  and  took  hold  on  the  strength  of  the  Ee« 
deemer. 

His  faith  even  outran  the  word  of  the  mul- 
titude. They  spoke  of  "  Jesus  of  Nazareth," 
— Nazareth  of  Gahlee — a  despised  town  of 
a  despised  province;  but  he  could  call  Him 
"  Son  of  David,"  and  "Lord."     In  these  words 

'  Heb.,  xii.  16.  11.  -  Prov.,  i.  24-31. 


O 


BLIND   BARTIMEUS.  109 

he  hailed  Him  as  the  Messiah,  the  promised 
Messiah  of  God,  of  whom  Isaiah  had  foretold 
that  He  should  open  the  eyes  of  the  blind.' 
Though  Nathanael  might  ask.  Can  any  good 
thing  come  out  of  Nazareth  V  and  the  Phari- 
sees assert  that,  Out  of  Galilee  there  ariseth  no 
prophet,'  this  poor  blind  man  had  an  eye  ot 
faith  which  saw  in  Him,  the  great  descend- 
ant of  David  who  should  redeem  Israel,— Da- 
vid's Son  and  David's  Lord.*  He  believed  too 
that  He  was  now  passing  by,  and  that  He  had 
power  enough  and  love  enough  to  open  his 
eyes.  This  was  his  simple  faith,  and  by  this 
he  took  hold  on  Christ  for  deliverance. 

And  how  deep  was  his  humility  !  He  hid 
nothing,  pretended  nothing.  He  came  as  he 
was.  Blind,  he  came  as  blind.  Poor,  he 
came  as  poor.  A  beggar,  he  came  as  a  beg- 
gar. He  set  up  no  claim  as  of  right.  He  told 
of  no  good  deed.  But  needy  and  wretched 
and  helpless  and  unworthy,  he  cast  himself 
on  the  tender  heart  of  Christ ;  "  Jesus,  Sou 
of  David,  have  mercy  on  me !  0  Lord,  Son 
of  David,  have  mercy  on  me  !" 

'  Ts.,  XXXV.  5 ;  xlli.  7.  -j  John,  i.  46. 

-'  John,  vii.  52  <  Mat.,  xxii.  45. 

10 


110  BLIND   BARTIMEUS. 

But  is  this  the  whole  lesson  ?  "When  we 
have  found  botli  faith  and  humility  in  this 
prayer,  are  we  to  view  them  apart  only  ?  May 
either  be  absent,  and  are  they  here  in  friendly 
meeting  but  by  chance  ? 

No :  the  prayer  has  a  deeper  and  more 
precious  teaching.  Faith  and  humility  are  so 
blended  in  it,  that  none  can  say  how  much  is 
one,  and  how  much  the  other.  If  faith  is 
more  manifest  in  the  titles  he  gives  Christ, 
yet  humihty  is  not  wanting ;  and  if  humility 
shines  brightest  in  his  asking  for  "  mercy," 
faith  is  seen  in  his  simple  reliance  on  that 
mercy. 

And  so  it  is  always.  Faith  and  humility 
meet  in  the  sinner's  experience,  not  as  occa- 
sional companions  only ;  they  ever  walk  lov- 
ingly together  as  sisters.  They  cannot  separate. 
Like  the  Siamese  twins  they  live  in  each  other's 
presence  alone ;  should  they  part,  they  would 
die.  A  sinner  cannot  believe  in  Jesus  and 
not  be  humble;  he  cannot  be  truly  humble 
without  believing  in  Jesus. 

This  is  most  needful  for  a  sinner  to  know  ; 
for  when  seeking  Christ,  he  fears  it  would  be 


BLIND   BARTIMEUS.  Ill 

presumptuous  to  believe  and  rest  on  Christ  at ' 
once.     So  lie  still  stays  a  way  and  tries  to  pre- 
pare himself  for  Christ.     He  thinks  that  this 
is  true  humility ;  but  it  is  only  pride  in  dis- 
guise, and  so  deceiving  him. 

"Alas,  I  am  lost,"  begins  the  sinner,  "what 
shall  I  do  to  be  saved?'" 

"  Come  to  me,"  says  Christ,  "  I  came  to  seek 
and  save  that  which  was  lost."^ 

"  But  how  can  I  come  ?     I  am  a  sinner." 

"  Come  hecause  you  are  a  sinner.  I  came 
not  to  call  the  righteous,  but  sinners  to  repent- 
ance."^ 

"But  I  am  such  a  sinner,"  says  this  false 
humility,  (for  you  see  it  dares  dispute  witb 
Christ,)  "there  never  was  a  heart  as  bad  as 
mine." 

"  The  greater  your  sin,  the  greater  your 
need  of  me,"  says  Christ,  "  and  do  not  fear, 
for  I  came  into  the  world  to  save  sinners,  even 
the  chief.  This  is  a  faithfal  saying,  and  wor- 
thy of  all  acceptation."* 

"But  my  heart  is  so  Aarc?." 

'  Acts,  xvi.  30.  *  Luke,  xix.  10. 

'  Luke,  V.  32.  *  1  Tim.,  i.  15. 


112  BLIND   BARTIMEUS. 

"  Then  give  it  to  me,  and  I  will  soften  it ; 
I  will  take  away  the  stony  heart  out  of 
your  flesh,  and  I  will  give  you  an  heart  of 
flesh.'" 

"But  I  do  not  even  feel  my  sins  as  I 
ought,"  continues  this  disputatious,  arrogant 
humility. 

"  And  you  never  will,"  answers  Christ, 
"  until  you  have  a  new  heart ;  come  to  me, 
and  I  will  give  you  one."'* 

"  But  I  cannot  see  any  thing  good  in  my 
heart ;  I  am  too  unworthy  ;  I  have  no  faith,  no 
love." 

"Then  come  without  them,"  says  Christ, 
"  and  I  will  give  them  to  you."^ 

But  the  heart  is  not  ready  to  give  up  yet, 
and  take  Christ  just  at  His  word.  It  cannot 
understand  that  it  is  to  go  to  Christ  with  ab- 
solutely nothing  to  recommend  it,  and  so  it 
toils  on  with  huge  pains  and  anxiety,  to  do 
something,  or  be  something,  or  feel  something, 
which  shall  make  it  more  fit  to  come  to  Christ. 
So  after  a  while  Christ  comes  again  and  says 
very   kindly,  "  Poor    heart,   you   can    never 

'  Ezek.,  xxxvi.  2G.     "  Ibid.     =  Oal.,  v.  22,  witlrAeta,  ii.  53. 


BLIND   BARTIMEUS.  113 

make  yourself  belter.  Only  I  can  do  that. 
If  you  come  at  all,  it  must  be  just  as  you 
are." 

"  Alas !  alas !  I  wish  I  could,  but  I  seem  to 
get  worse  and  worse." 

"  But  do  you  believe,  or  not,  that  I  am  able 
to  save  you  ?"  says  Christ. 

"  Oh,  yes  !  You  are  able,  but  /am  so  un- 
worthy." 

And  so  this  blind  self-righteousness  reasons 
round  and  round  in  a  circle,  and  still  comes 
back  to  the  same  fatal  point,  and  though  very 
sad,  takes  a  secret  comfort  in  being  so  very 
humble ! 

Now  Christ  comes  again,  and  speaks  search- 
ing words,  but  very  patiently  ;  "  Blind  and 
stubborn  heart,  I  will  show  you  a  little  of 
yourself.  You  say  you  believe  I  am  able  to 
save  all  sinners  ;  able  to  save  you.  But  you 
do  not;  or  you  would  trust  me  to  be  your 
Saviour.  You  could  trust  me  to  save  a  softer 
heart,  or  a  better  heart,  or  a  heart  that  felt 
more  ;  but  not  your  hard,  wicked  heart.  Does 
not  this  limit  my  power,  my  grace,  my  blood  ? 
Am  I  a  Saviour  for  little  sins,  and  not  for 


11-i  BLIND   BAUTIMEUS. 

great?'  Does  your  unworthiness  overtop  my 
Eighteousness ?''  Does  my  blood  fail  for  your 
heart  ?"  My  Eighteousness  and  blood  are  in- 
finite,^ and  do  you  stretch  up  to  measure  them 
and  find  them  wanting  ?  I  say  I  can  save 
you,  and  what  arrogance  it  is  that  denies  it  I 
What  boundless  presumption !  If  you  were 
better  you  would  come,  you  say.  Yes ;  you 
are  too  proud  to  come  as  other  sinners.  You 
must  needs  be  an  exception.  You  cannot  be 
altogether  indebted  to  grace.  A  little  wor- 
thiness must  be  found,  for  the  glory  and  com- 
fort of  your  self- righteousness.  Abase  yourself 
in  the  dust,  and  come  just  as  you  are." 

If  these  cutting  words  of  Christ  slay  the 
sinner's  pride,  true  humility  fills  his  heart. 
It  dares  not  dispute  with  Christ,  or  think  of 
making  any  change  in  His  plan  of  grace, 
amazing  as  its  freeness  seems.  It  just  takes 
Him  at  His  word,  and  says, 

"  Just  as  I  am,  without  one  plea, 
But  that  Thy  blood  was  shed  for  me, 
And  that  Thou  bidst  me  come  to  Thee, 
0  Lamb  of  God,  I  comel 

1  Isa.,  L  18.  ^  Rom.,  x.  4.  M  John,  L  1. 

*  Jer.,  xxiii.  6;    Ileb.,  vii.  25. 


BLIND   BARTIMEUS.  115 

"  Just  as  I  am,  and  waiting  not 
To  rid  my  soul  of  one  dark  blot, 
To  Thee  whose  blood  can  cleanse  each  spot, 
0  Lamb  of  God,  I  come  I 

"Just  as  I  am, — poor,  wretched,  blind — 
Sight,  riches,  healing  of  the  mind. 
Yea,  all  I  need,  in  Thee  to  find, 

0  Lamb  of  God,  I  come  1" 

Thus  do  these  holj  sisters,  Faith  and  Hu- 
militj,  go  together  to  Christ.  When  Hu- 
mility, looking  down  upon  her  sins,  would 
faint  in  the  way.  Faith  feels  the  pressure  of 
her  drooping  form,  and  lifting  her  own  clear 
eye  to  the  glories  of  Christ,  bids  her  look 
to  Him  and  be  comforted.  And  even  Faith 
grows  bolder,  when  Humility  in  her  turn 
whispers,  "  Do  not  fear ;  though  our  sins  are 
many,'  He  can  cleanse  them.  If  He  says 
Come,  we  cannot  but  take  Him  at 'His  word." 
And  Humility  grows  lowlier,  when  Faith 
drawing  near,  and  fixing  her  eye  on  Calvary, 
says,  "Oh  sister,  against  what  a  Saviour  we 
have  sinned!" 

•  Psalm  ciii.  3,  11 ;  Luke,  va.  47. 


IV. 

"  And  many  charged  him  that  he  should  hold  his  peace ;  but 
he  cried  the  more  a  great  deal,  Thou  Son  of  David,  have 
mercy  upon  me!" 

)HEEB  is  never  a  knock  at  heaven's 
gate,  but  it  sounds  through  hell,  and 
devils  come  out  to  silence  it/  When- 
ever a  soul  is  striving  for  heaven,  or 
heaven  striving  for  a  soul,  which  is 
but  another  side  of  the  same  truth,  there  two 
worlds  are  at  strife,''  The  Mohammedans 
have  a  saying  that,  whenever  two  persons 
meet,  there  is  always  a  third.  The  proverb 
refers  to  the  presence  of  God,  But  it  is  just 
as  true  that  when  God  and  a  human  soul  meet 
on  business  for  eternity,  Satan  will  be  there. 
He  will  be  there  as  an  opposer  and  destroyer.' 
All  souls  are  his  at  first,*  for  by  nature  we  are 

'  1  Pet.,  V.  8.  =  Mat.,  xiii  37,  39;   Eph.,  vi.  11,  12  • 

I  John,  iv.  4.  ^  2  Cor.,  ii.  11 ;  Liiko,  viii.  12. 

*  Eph.,  ii.  2  ;    .John,  viii.  44 


BLIND  BARTIMEUS.  117 

children  of  wrath  ;'  and  he  never  lets  his  own 
go  without  a  struggle.*  He  hath  the  cheek- 
teeth of  a  great  lion,  and  it  is  not  easy  to  rend 
the  prey  from  his  mouth.^ 

Both  Christ  and  Satan  came  on  earth  as 
destroyers ;  Satan  to  destroy  the  works  of 
God,  but  Christ  to  destroy  Ms  destructions 
and  the  destroyer  himself.*  And  so  we  must 
look  for  war  on  the  earth,  and  must  ourselves 
take  part  in  the  battle,  if  we  mean  to  go  to 
heaven.^  The  kingdom  of  heaven  suffereth 
violence,  and  the  violent  taketh  it  by  force.* 

The  children  of  Israel  sang  bravely  on  the 
shore  of  the  Eed  Sea,  and  behaved  themselves 
stoutly.  They  seemed  just  ready  to  go  up 
and  i^ossess  the  promised  land.  But  the 
howling  wilderness  soon  shut  up  their  song, 
and  when  they  began  to  hear  of  giants  and 
war  chariots  of  iron,  and  cities  walled  up  to 
heaven,  their  craven  hearts  died  within  them, 
and  for  base  safety,  beside  full  flesh-pots,  they 
were  ready  to  slink  back  into  slavery.' 

'  Epli.,  ii.  3.  2  Mark,  ix.  20,  25,  2G. 

3  Mark,  ix.  29.      *  Rev.,  xii.  12  ;  Ilcb.,  ii.  14;  1  John,  iii.  8. 
*  Eph.,  vi.  11-18.  6  Mat.,  xi.  12. 

'  .I':x..  XV.  1-21.;   xvi.  1-:!  ;  DLUt.,  i.  27,  28. 


118  BLIND   BARTIMEUS. 

The  giants  are  not  all  dead  yet,  and  if  a 
pilgrim  do  but  show  himself,  going  toward 
the  City  of  Grod,  out  they  come  to  give  him 
battle.  So,  those  who  mean  to  serve  Christ, 
may  as  well  make  up  their  minds  at  once  to 
meet  opposition.* 

Bartimeus  had  sad  proof  of  this.  As  soon 
as  he  began  to  cry  out  for  mercy,  rebukes 
rained'  down  upon  him  from  all  sides.  Satan 
raised  a  clamor,  and  tried  to  beat  him  down. 
Am  I  not  right  in  ascribing  this  opposition  to 
the  old  murderer,  though  men  were  his  agents? 
What  was  the  offence?  A  sightless  beggar 
beseeches  the  compassion  of  the  Heavenly 
Physician.  He  has  never  been  near  Him  be- 
fore. This  is  the  only  opportunity  of  his  life. 
A  word  or  touch  can  heal  him,  and  in  a  sud- 
den agony  of  earnestness,  he  begs  the  blessed 
stranger  to  pity  him, — said  I  not  rightly,  that 
none  but  a  devil  would  have  bidden  him  hold 
his  peace  ? 

But  Satan  hides  while  he  works.      He  is 
sometimes  like   a  lion  roaring  on  his  prey, 
but   oftener   a  serpent  gliding  in  the   grass, 

'  2  Tim.,  iii.  :2.  M  Pet  ,  v.  S. 


BLIND   BAKTIMEUS.  119 

biting,  gone.'  He  can  even  put  on  the  form 
of  an  angel  of  light/  and  here  he  wears  the 
guise  of  the  followers  of  Christ. 

There  is  a  manifold,  hellish  craft  in  this. 
He  conceals  himself,  puts  the  shame  of  his 
deeds  on  the  cause  of  God,  destroys  his  vic- 
tims more  easily  and  surely  because  his  hand 
is  not  seen,  corrupts  all  who  do  his  work,  and 
thus  brings  them  under  his  own  condemna- 
tion, and  fills  many  who  see  what  is  done,  with 
such  prejudice  against  the  cause  and  followers 
of  Christ,  that  they  too  are  ruined. 

The  ungodly  world  bids  anxious  souls  to 
hold  their  peace.  It  cannot  bear  the  sinner's 
distress.  If  his  conscience  is  disturbed  its  own 
is  not  quite  easy.  If  he  cries  out  through 
fear  of  the  wrath  to  come,^  a  shudder  passes 
through  its  heart.  If  he  speaks  of  heaven,  it 
is  not  ready,  it  feels,  for  that,  and  its  own  joys 
look  pale  in  that  pure  light.  If  the  weight 
of  eternal  concernments  smite  him  amidst  its 
gay  throngs,  it  has  the  unpleasant  effect  of  the 
sudden  death  of  an  actor  in  the  theatre.  The 
play  goes  on,  to  be  sure,  but  the  applause  is 

'  2  Cor,  xi.  3.  "  2  Cor.,  xi.  1 1.  ^  Mat.,  iii.  7 


120  BLIND  BARTIMEUS. 

not  hearty,  and  a  cliill  shadow  damps  the 
mirth.  The  tragedy  is  gloomy  and  the  com- 
edy hollow. 

Therefore  the  world  sets  itself  to  make  an 
end  of  these  convictions.  For  this  it  has  in- 
numerable devices.  It  will  flatter,  or  curse. 
For  some  it  has  persecutions,  for  others  pro- 
motions. Now  it  laughs  with  irresistible  mer- 
riment ;  now  dazzles  with  deceitful  splendors, 
and  now  cuts  one's  acquaintance  with  a  sneer. 
It  bewilders  the  reason  with  sophistry,  and 
bewitches  the  senses  with  voluptuousness. 
And  two  other  foes  it  brings  into  the  field  for 
the  silencing  of  crying  souls, — Infidelity,  with 
its  thousand  "  phases,"  (changing  every  day,) 
its  flippancy,  its  sarcasms,  its  dogmatism, 
(which  never  change ;)  and  Atheism,  with  its 
sullen  front  and  frozen  heart. 

But  I  pause  not  on  any  of  these.  I  wish 
now  to  address  the  professed  people  of  God.  I 
pray  you  heed  an  honest  warning. 

I  say  then  plainly :  You  are  in  great  danger, 
every  day,  of  rebuking  anxious  souls,  and 
charging  them  to  hold  their  peace.  I  do  not 
say  you  do  it  wittingly.     It  is  a  sin  so  awful, 


BLLN^D   BARTIMEUS.  121 

SO  unnatural,  so  cruel,  tliat  every  lover  of  tlie 
Saviour  must  utterly  abhor  it.  Yet  even 
Christ's  true  friends  may  commit  it  carelessly 
and  unconsciously.  Bear  then  some  cau- 
tions. 

I.  By  injudicious  criticism  of  sermons  you 
may  stifle  convictions  and  drive  sinners  away 
from  Christ, 

We  do  not  refuse  to  be  tried  by  honest 
and  enlightened  judgments;  and  when  we 
hear  their  verdict,  it  should  give  us  little  con- 
cern, except  to  learn  how  we  may  become 
wiser  and  more  faithful  stewards  of  the  mys- 
teries of  God.'  But  we  charge  our  hearers 
not  to  forget  that,  however  humble  our  abili- 
ties, if  we  are  in  our  place  at  all,  we  are  Am- 
bassadors for  Christ,"  standing  in  His  room, 
making  known  His  terms  of  pardon ;  and 
that,  so  far  as  we  preach  the  Word,'  He  will 
take  its  vindication  into  His  own  hands,  and 
avenge  it  of  every  slight  and  a:il  contempt.* 

Nay  more ;  when  we  preach  Christ  cruci- 
fied, our  message  is  the  power  of  God,  by 

'  1  Cor.,  iv.  1.  '^  2  Cor.,  v.  20. 

'  2  Tim.,  iv.  2.  *  Luke,  x.  16 ;  ix.  26. 

11 


122  BLIND   BARTIMEUS. 

which  alone  sinners  can  be  saved ;  but  your 
criticisms  may  turn  it  into  very  foolishness, 
and  a  stumbling-block,  and  the  savor  of  death 
to  some  beloved  one  for  whose  salvation  you 
have  been  striving.* 

I  cannot  better  illustrate  this  caution  than 
by  a  true  narrative  from  "The  Central  Pres- 
byterian." "  A  pious  lady  once  left  a  church 
in  this  city,  [Eichmond,]  in  company  with  her 
husband,  who  was  not  a  professor  of  religion. 
She  was  a  woman  of  unusual  vivacity,  with 
a  keen  perception  of  the  ludicrous,  and  often 
playfully  sarcastic.  As  they  walked  along  to- 
ward home,  she  began  to  make  some  amus- 
ing and  spicy  comments  on  the  sermon,  which 
a  stranger,  a  man  of  very  ordinary  talents  and 
awkward  manner,  had  j)reached,  that  morn- 
ing, in  the  absence  of  the  pastor.  After*  run- 
ning on  in  this  vein  of  sportive  criticism  for 
some  time,  surprised  at  the  profound  silence 
of  her  husband,  she  turned  and  looked  up  in 
his  face.  He  was  in  tears.  That  sermon  had 
sent  an  arrow  of  conviction  to  his  heart! 
What  must  have  been   the   anguish    of  the 

1  Cor.,  i.  23,  24,  2  Cor.,  ii.  16. 


BLIND   BARTIMEUS.  123 

conscience-Stricken  wife,  thus  arrested  in  the 
act  of  ridiculing  a  discourse  which  had  been 
the  means  of  awakening  the  anxiety  of  her 
unconverted  husband !" 

Watch  then,  your  words  and  spirit.  Take 
care  what  you  say,  and  before  whom  you  say 
it.  Are  you  about  to  speak  in  love,  in  hu- 
mility, in  the  temper  of  Christ?  Will  any 
one  be  the  better  for  what  you  say?  Will 
your  criticisms  deepen  your  child's  or  your 
friend's  reverence  for  Christ's  Ambassadors, 
and  God's  chosen  instrument  for  saving  souls? 
When  you  have  said  what  you  wish,  will  you 
become  thereby  fellow-helpers  to  the  truth?' 
If  not,  oh,  leave  it  all  unsaid,  lest  in  criticising 
the  flaws  of  the  earthen  vessel,  you  be  found 
to  have  despised  the  heavenly  treasure  f  lest 
■you  turn  aside  the  sword  of  the  Spirit,'  and 
with  great  sin  to  yourself,  bring  destruction 
on  some  most  precious  soul. 

II,  Beware  also  of  unseaso'oable  levity  after 
solemn  appeals. 

I  do  not  warn  you  against  cheerfulness.  It 
is  pleasant  to  see  the  faces  of  God's  people 

'  3  John  8.  2  2  Cor.,  ir.  7.  '  Eph.,  vi  17. 


124  BLIND   BAKTIMEUS, 

beaming  witli  the  secret  refresTiments  of  the 
Spirit,  or  refiectiug  the  glories  which  shine 
from  between  the  cherubim.'  But  this  sacred 
rejoicing  is  no  more  like  levity,  than  the  clear 
diffused  light  of  morning  is  like  the  flash 
of  shaken  tinsel.  Cheerfulness  is  the  genial 
warmth  of  the  Sun  of  Eighteousness  -^  levity 
the  crackling  of  thorns  under  a  pot.^  One  is 
the  voice  of  rejoicing  which  becometh  the 
tabernacles  of  the  righteous,^  the  other  the 
laughter  of  fools,  fit  only  for  the  tents  of 
wickedness.^  Cheerfulness  can  mingle  with 
solemnity,  just  as  the  clear  heavens  may  be 
solemn  with  night,  yet  cheerful  with  stars. 

A  Christian  can  sit  in  God's  House,  and 
relish  all  the  truths  of  His  Word.  He  may 
indeed  often  hear  what  is  immediately  dis- 
tressing. Unlike  the  little  book  which  the 
angel  gave  John,  it  may  be  bitter  and  pain- 
ful in  the  mouth,  that  is,  in  the  hearing;  yet 
being  mixed  with  faith,  it  shall  through  grace 
be  sweet  and  wholesome  in  the  digestion.^  In 
the  very  thunders  of  Sinai  he  will  hear  the 

'  Ps.  Ixxx.  1.  ^  ilal.,  iv.  2.  » 3']ccl.,  vii  6. 

<  Ps.  cxviii.  15.  5  Ps.  L^xxiv.  10.       «  Rev.,  x.  9 


BLIND   BARTIMEL'S.  125 

voice  of  bis  covenant  God/  and  prostrate 
himself  in  holy  abasement.  If  God  be  set 
forth  as  a  consuming  fire,^  taking  vengeance, 
he  will  confess  that  this  is  but  bis  own  desert ;' 
and  while  adoring  the  sovereign  grace  which 
has  saved  him  from  wratb,  he  will  be  grieved 
for  transgressors,*  and  weep  for  them,  and  praj 
for  them ;  and  when  the  congregation  breaks 
up,  and  he  meets  them  face  to  fece,  there  will 
be  something  in  his  eye  and  voice  and  pressure 
of  the  hand,  which  will  touch  sinners  to  the 
heart,  with  a  sense  of  their  own  danger,  and 
the  affectionate  anxiety  of  God's  people. 

How  different  the  conduct  of  many  profes- 
sors !  They  may  be  dull  enough  while  the 
word  is  preached,  but  when  the  benediction 
is  pronounced,  how  relieved  and  lively  they 
seem  !  With  what  alacrity  they  address  them- 
selves to  the  business  of  leaving  the  Church  ! 
With  what  sprightliness  are  the  aisles  sud- 
denly animated !  And  so  with  jests  and 
vanity  and  levity  they  go  to  their  homes,  sit 
at  their  tables,  and  hold  mirthful  converse 
with  their  unconverted  children  and  friends. 
'  Ex.,  XX.  2.  =  Heb.,  xii.  29.  '  Ps.  li.  4.  *  Ps.  cxLx.  158 
11* 


126  BLIND   BARTIMEUS. 

All !  in  some  breast  at  that  table  the  struggle 
for  eternity  may  have  begun ;  the  Spirit  of 
God  and  the  powers  of  darkness  may  be  en- 
gaged in  their  final  conflict,  and  this  foolish 
jesting  may  decide  it  for  despair  and  hell ! 
What  a  fearful  truth  !  One  may  laugh  away 
the  Holy  Ghost  and  all  conviction  of  sin, 
laugh  the  awakened  conscience  to  sleep  and 
precious  souls  to  perdition ! 

III.  This  brings  to  mind  another  Avay  by 
which  you  may  bid  sinners  hold  their  peace, 
— by  blindness  to  any  beginning  concern. 

K  you  do  not  watch  for  the  Spirit,  He  may 
pass  by  unseen.  If  He  is  not  cherished,  He 
may  pass  away.  A  great  part  of  this  cher- 
ishing work  belongs  to  you,  as  disciples  of 
Christ  and  friends  of  the  Spirit.  By  mere  ne- 
glect you  may  ruin  the  work  in  which  jou 
were  called  to  be  workers  together  with  God.' 
You  fail  to  come  up  to  the  help  of  the  LorJ,' 
and  so  your  friend  may  be  lost. 

Would  you  see  how  you  should  watch  ? 
Come  with  me  to  the  chamber  where  a  babe 
lies  dying.     A  breathless  messenger  has  gone 

"  2  Cor.,  \i.  1.  -  Judo-es.  v.  23. 


15LIXD    BARTIMEUS.  127 

for  the  physician,  but  still  he  comes  not.  How 
the  worn  mother  gazes  on  her  little  sufferer  in 
an  agony  of  fondness  and  fear ;  how  she  sinks 
in  anguish  before  the  mercy-seat,  and  pleads 
like  the  Syrophenician  woman  at  the  fe<3t  of 
Jesus ;'  how  she  rises  wildly,  and  watches  at 
the  window  for  the  physician ;  how  at  every 
sound  of  wheels  she  flushes  with  eagerness, 
and  then  grows  sick  at  heart  as  they  turn  the 
corner,  and  the  sound  dies  away  ;  how  she 
springs  to  the  door  as  his  well-known  step  is 
heard  on  the  stair ;  and  then,  as  he  searches 
every  symptom,  how.  she  waits  on  his  every 
look,  living  on  a  gleam  of  hope,  ready  to  die 
if  bis  face  is  darkened  by  a  cloud ! 

0  disciple  of  Jesus,  thy  child,  thy  brother, 
some  beloved  of  thine,  is  sick  unto  eternal 
death  ;  and  where  is  this  watching  for  the 
Great  Physician  ?  this  weeping,  longing,  pray- 
ing? Ah,  when  He  has  of  His  own  heart's 
love  come  near,  and  alarmed  the  dying  soul 
from  its  fatal  torpor,  and  prescribed  His  sov- 
ereign remedies,  you  will  not  even  be  nursing 
fathei-s  and  mothers,^  to  carry  on  the  Lord's 

1  Mat.,  XV.  2^-28.  2  is.,  xlix.  23. 


128  BLIND   BARTIMEUS. 

gracious  work,  and  save  these  dear  souls  from 
death  I 

rV.  Nor  is  this  the  worst.  Professing 
parents  often  lay  plans  for  their  children  directly 
opposed  to  the  Spirit! s  worh. 

Let  one  example  illustrate  my  meaning.  In 
your  morning  devotions  yon  ask  God  to  con- 
vert your  children — even  on  the  next  Sabbath 
to  send  His  word  with  power  to  their  hearts. 
Surely  you  should  pray  so,  and  I  will  suppose 
you  do.  But,  before  the  day  is  over,  yield- 
ing to  tbe  tide  of  corrupt  worldliness  around 
you,  or  the  pleadings  of  your  unconverted  chil- 
dren, you  arrange  for  a  dancing-party  the  next 
week,  and  issue  your  invitations.  "  Only  a 
children's  dancing-party,  and  only  with  the 
piano,  you  know,"  you  say  patronizingly  and 
«heerfully  to  conscience,  though  somehow 
conscience  looks  a  little  blank  at  those  nice 
distinctions,  and  does  not  return  your  smile. 
But  let  that  pass.  Suppose,  however,  God 
answers  your  prayer  on  the  Sabbath,  and  one 
of  these  children  weeps  under  the  sermon,  and 
comes  home  downcast  and  distressed;  what 
will  your  condition  be?     To  say  the  least, 


BLIND   EARTIMEUS.  129 

will  you  feci  no  embarrassment  ?  No  temp- 
tation to  seem  not  to  Lave  observed  it,  until 
jour  scLeme  is  carried  out?  No  regret  even, 
that  these  feelings  should  have  come  just 
then?  How  awkward  that  when  you  had 
meant  your  daughter  to  be  so  bright  and 
beautiful  in  the  dance  on  Monday,  that  she 
should  be  convicted  of  sin,  and  fleeing  from 
God's  wrath,  and  weeping  so,  on  Sunday ! 
On  the  other  hand,  will  you  have  no  fear 
lest  the  excitements  of  the  giddy  scene  shall 
quench  the  Spirit,'  and  harden  the  heart  for 
ever?^  And,  besides  all  this,  would  not  these 
convictions  take  you  by  surprise,  and  send  a 
guilty  pang  to  your  heart  ?  Could  you  be,  as 
you  ought  always  to  be,  exp  :cting  in  strong 
faith  the  answer  of  your  prayers,  and  ready  to 
bless  God  with  a  clear  heart,  and  go  in  se- 
cret with  this  dear  anxious  soul,  and  mingle 
your  tears,  and  together  beseech  Christ  for 
mercy  ? 

But  how  can  I  exhaust  the  ways  by  which 
professed  Christians  may  bid  troubled  sinners 
hold   their   peace?      By   all  your    worldly- 

'  I  Thess.,  V.  19.  '  Heb.,  iii.  13. 


130  BLIND  BARTIMEUS. 

mindedness  and  world  jj-conformity;  Ly  every 
proof  you  give  that  you  think  more  of  this 
life  tlian  of  that  to  come ;  that  you  will  spend 
more,  sacrifice  more,  go  through  more  to  gain 
earthly  ends  than  for  Christ  and  His  cause ; 
by  all  these  you  become  stumbling-blocks  in 
the  way  of  sinners  coming  to  Christ. 

These  too,  are  the  things  you  cannot  hide. 
Some  very  pious  looks  and  tones  for  special 
seasons ;  some  very  common-place  Christian 
observations  now  and  then  ;  some  very  general 
sighing  over  the  fact  that  '  We  all  comr^  short,' 
&c.,  &c.,  none  of  these  will  do.  Your  little 
children  and  your  servants  see  the  incon- 
sistency. 

O  this  worldliness  in  profe:-^sor3 !  This 
want  of  whole-conformity  to  Christ!^  This 
is  the  most  grievous  stain  on  Christianity,  the 
hardest  argument  of  infidelity,  the  greatest 
hindrance  of  revivals,  and  their  surest  extin- 
guisher. Because  of  this  hath  the  Lord  cov- 
ered the  daughter  of  Zion  with  a  cloud  in  His 
anger.  For  this  her  ways  mourn,  her  gates 
are  desolate,  her  priests  sigh,  her  virgins  are 

'  Rom.,  xii.  1,  2. 


BLIND  BARTIMEUS.  131 

afflicted,  and  she  is  in  bitterness;  while  her 
enemies  blaspheme,  and  all  that  pass  bj  clap 
their  hands  at  her ;  they  hiss  and  wag  .heir 
head  at  the  daughter  of  Jerusalem  !' 

Now  let  me  sound  an  honest  alarm  to  all  of 
every  name  and  condition,  who  in  any  way 
charge  convicted  sinners  to  hold  their  peace. 
You  are  opposing  the  work  of  God,  and  must 
beware  of  His  heavy  arm.  If  you  are  His 
people  and  your  opposition  is  unwitting,  lie 
will  teach  you  needful  lessons  by  the  Voice  of 
the  Eod.''  They  may  be  very  hard,'  but  you 
will  have  to  learn  them.*  He  will  not  suifer 
such  sin  upon  you.^  But  if  you  are  not  His 
people,  you  shall  feel  his  vengeance.  You 
are  falling  on  the  eternal  Corner-stone  and 
shall  be  broken;  and  unless  you  speedily  cease 
to  oppose  those  who  would  build  upon  it,  and 
begin  yourself  to  build  there,  that  stone  shall 
one  day  fall  upon  you  and  grind  you  to 
powder !" 

There  is  no  sadder  doom  than  theirs  who 

1  Lamentations.  ^  Mic,  vi.  9  ;  Ps.  cxix.  67,  71, 

,*  Heb.;  xii  11.  ■»  Pro  v.,  iii.  12  ;  Rev.,  iiL  19. 

'  Heb.,  xii.  10.  "  Mat.,  xxi.  44. 


132  BLIND   BARTIMEUS. 

lead  men  into  sin,  or  keep  souls  from  Christ 
It  is  enough  to  go  to  hell  at  all.  But  if  I 
must  go,  let  me  go  alone.  Let  me  not  carry 
my  tormentors  with  me.  Its  fires  will  be  hot 
enough,  and  its  woes  heavy  enough,  without 
souls  whom  I  have  ruined,  to  heap  them  upon 
me  in  revenge  for  ever  pitiless^  and  exasper- 
ated for  ever  by  their  own  eternal  agony.  If 
I  am  bent  on  death,  let  me  like  Ahithophel, 
put  my  household  in  order  and  die  alone/  and 
not  like  Samson  gather  the  pillars  of  the  tem- 
ple in  my  grasp,  and  drag  others  down  with 
me,  myself  falling  undermost  and  buried  in 
the  deepest  ruin." 

Now  let  me  say  two  things  to  awakened 
sinners. 

Are  you  thus  opposed?  If  you  fail,  this 
win  not  excuse  j'ou.  One  man's  sin  may  be 
another's  temptation  and  his  ruin,  but  it  can 
never  be  his  apology.  Satan  tempted  Eve,  and 
she  tempted  Adam,  but  all  three  of  them  were 
cursed.^  Even  the  heathen  could  say,  The 
gods  help  those  who  help  themselves ;  and  we 
may  be  sure  that  Christ  will  help  every  soul 
'  2  Sam.,  xvii.  23.        ^  Judges,  xvi.  30.        3  Qen.,  iii.  12-19 


BLIND  BARTIMEUS.  133 

in  earnest  after  Him.  Grod  lias  never  said  to 
the  seed  of  Jacob,  Seek  ye  me  in  vain.'  Seek, 
says  Christ,  and  ye  shall  find.'^  When  God 
calls  a  soul  out  of  Egypt,  old  tyrants  and  new 
enemies,  a  deep  sea  and  a  howling  wilderness 
may  all  be  in  the  way,  but  if  that  soul  be  of 
good  courage  it  shall  not  fail  to  eat  of  the 
golden  fruits  of  Canaan,^  Neither  the  chosen 
people  nor  a  chosen  soul  ever  lost  a  battle 
except  by  cowardice  or  sin.  For  His  mercy 
endureth  for  ever ; — twenty-six  times  over  is 
that  said  in  the  Psalm  that  recounts  Israel's 
redemption  and  triumphs.''  At  every  point, 
at  every  danger  and  every  battle  is  the  story 
interrupted  to  say,  For  His  mercy  endureth 
for  ever !  Has  God  said  to  you.  Seek  ye  my 
face  ?  And  has  your  heart  replied,  Thy  face, 
Lord,  will  I  seek  T  Then,  though  a  host 
should  encamp  against  you,  your  heart  need 
not  fear.  Though  father  and  mother  forsake 
you,  the  God  of  your  salvation  will  never 
leave  you  nor  forsake  you.^     So,  Wait  upon 

'  Is.,  xlv.  19.  "^  Mat.,  vii.  7   3. 

'  Joshua.,  V.  11,  12.  *  Ps.  cxxxvi. 

5  Ps.  xxvii.  8.  6  Ps.  xxvii.  3,  10;  Heb.,  xiii.  5 

12 


134  BLIND  BARTIMEUS, 

the  Lord ;  be  of  good  courage,  and  He  sliall 
strengthen  your  heart!  Wait,  I  say,  on  the 
Lord.' 

Are  you  thus  opposed?     Do  as  Bartimeus 

did.  "  He  cried  the  more,"   says   Matthew ; 

"the  more  a  great  deal,"  or  "so  much  the 

more,"  say  Mark  and  Luke.     O  that  is  brave ! 

Opposition  only  rouses  him  to  new  energy. 

And  so   cry  you.     It  is  time  to  "  cry  out" 

when  men  would  beat  you  back  from  Christ ; 

time  to  summon  all  your  strength  when  the 

enemy  is  summoning  his.     See  !  there  is  but 

l\    one  way ;  the  path  is  narrow ;  the  foe  is  clos- 

1    ing  in.     Now  soul,  if  thou  wouldst  not  be 

lost,  quit  thyself  like  a  man."     Take  shield 

and  sword,  and  lay  about  thee.     It  is  now  or 

never  with  thee.     Cry  unto  Christ  and  press 

1    forward.   And  while  using  all  thy  might,  still 

1    remember  that  nothing  can  cut  through  the 

\  foe  and  clear  thy  path  to  Christ,  like  this  cry 

'  of  faith,  "  Jesus,  Son  of  David,  have  mercy 

upon  me!" 

'  Pa.  xxvii.  14.  ^  1  Cor.,  xvi.  13 


y. 


"  And  Jesus  stood  still  and  called  him." — (Matthew.) 

"  And  Jesus  stood  still  and  commanded  him  to  be  called."— 

(Mark.) 
"  And  Jesus  stood  and  commanded  him  to  be  brought  unto 

Him."— (Luke.) 

:f(^HEN  Jesus  thus  "stood  still,"  He 
■was*on  His  way  for  the  last  time  to 
Jerusalem.  His  "  hour"  vras  draw- 
ing nigh/  and  He  was  hastening  to 
meet  it.  He  knew  it  was  to  be  an 
hour  of  anguish  and  desertion,  the  hour  and 
power  of  darkness,"  He  saw  the  cup  He  was 
to  drink,  and  He  knew  the  bitterness  of  every 
drop.^  He  knew  He  was  to  wrestle  with  the 
terrors  of  death  and  the  principalities  of  hell, 
and  bear  the  insufferable  torments  of  aveng- 
ing wrath.  Yet  such  love  for  sinners,  such 
hatred  of  sin,  sach  zeal  for  the  vindication  of 
the  insulted  glory  of  the  Godhead  filled  and 

*  John,  xviL  1 ;  Mark,  xiv.  41.  ^  Luke,  xxii.  53. 

»  Mark,  x.  32-34;  Mat,  xx.  22  ;  xxvi.  39  ;  John,  xviii.  11. 


136  BLIND   BARTIMEUS. 

fired  Him,  tliat  He  was  pressing  on,  with  al- 
most impatient  ardor.  He  was  straitened,  in 
an  inexpressible  wa}',  till  He  had  oifered  Him- 
self a  sacrifice  to  DiviDV  justice  for  the  sins  of 
His  people.* 

Never  was  anj  being  in  the  universe  on  such 
a  journey  before.  Never  can  even  He  be  again. 
The  redemption  of  the  world,"  the  defeat  of 
Satan,  3  and  the  most  illustrious  display  of  the 
Attributes  of  God  which  ever  can  be  made,^  the 
infinite  concernments  of  three  ^j^orlds,  heaven, 
earth  and  hell,  and  the  glory  of  the  sovereign, 
eternal  Godhead,  all  rested  on  Him  and  the 
decease  He  was  about  to  accomplish  at  Jeru- 
salem.^ 

Can  He  be  arrested  in  this  journey  ?  Where 
is  the  event  mighty  enough  to  stay  His  course? 
"What  destiny  of  man  or  empire  is  worthy 
even  of  a  thought  from  Him  now  ?  Shall 
not  the  vision  of  infinite  suffering,  and  the 
infinite  glory  that  is  to  follow,*  absorb  His 
heart  ?  Avaunt,  even  ye  angels  of  God ! 
Let  not  cherubim  or  seraphim  intrude  now  ! 

'  Luke,  ;xii.  50.  ^  John,  i.  29.  3  jjeb.,  ii.  14. 

*  Luke,  iu  14;  John,  siii.  31 ;  xvii.  1,  4,  6  ;  Eph.,  iii.  10,  2L 
5  Luke,  ix.  31.  «  I  Pet.,  i.  11. 


BLIND   BARTIMEU3.  137 

Be  astonished,  0  ye  heavens,  and  be  silent,  O 
earth,  while  your  Maker  and  Lord,  who  is 
over  all,  God  blessed  for  ever,'  treads  His 
path  of  unutterable  shame  and  glory !  He 
must  walk  that  awful  way  alone  I 

But  what  voice  breaks  this  holy  silence? 
Who  dares  draw  so  near,  with  clamors  so 
loud?  A  degraded  mortal!  A  miserable, 
blind  beggar!  obtruding  his  petty  sorrows  on 
the  Heart  that  is  gathering  to  itself  the  woes 
of  a  world  !  ^  Can  he  be  regarded  ?  Will  the 
war-chariot,  rushing  into  battle,  turn  aside  for 
a  worm  ?  Will  the  swell  of  the  sea,  roaring 
on  the  shore,  be  checked  lest  a  lamb  be 
drowned  ?  Shall  we  not  join  with  the  multi- 
tude and  bid  Bartimeus  hold  his  peace? 

Ah,  if  we  do,  neither  we  nor  they  know 
the  heart  of  bur  Lord.  If  we  mean  thus  to 
do  Him  honor,  we  shall  find  we  have  only  put 
ourselves  to  shame.  For  see.  He  turns  to  the 
cry  ;  He  looks  upon  the  beggar.  There  is  no 
lightning  in  His  eye,  no  terror  in  His  voice. 
His  sorrowful  face  beams  with  benignity.  He 
stands  still.     His  journey  is  stayed.     He  calls 

'  Rom.,  \x.  5, 
12^ 


188  BLIND   BARTIMEUs. 

the  poor  man  to  Him,  and  gently  directs  those 
about  Him  to  repeat  His  welcoming  words 
and  guide  the  uncertain  steps  to  Him. 

"He  stood  still."  Let  us  also  stand  and 
admire.  Here  let  us  learu  the  grace  of  our 
Eedeemer,  and  lay  up  in  our  hearts  the  bles- 
sed teaching. 

Is  not  the  scene  beautiful  ?  Is  not  the  gran- 
deur of  such  calmness  Godlike;  the  grace- 
fulness of  such  condescension  worthy  of  a 
birth  in  heaven?  Can  it  be  less  than  celes- 
tial radiance  that  streams  out  in  such  benevo- 
lence ? 

Then  may  we  learn  how  unreasonable  and 
bow  unnatural  is  a  favorite  clamor  of  infidels 
against  the  gospel.  They  say  they  cannot  be- 
lieve that  the  Son  of  Grod  came  to  this  world 
and  died  for  its  redemption.  This  world  is 
too  small  and  mean  in  the  great  scale  of  the 
universe,  to  allow  them  to  think  that  the  Cre- 
ator of  countless  millions  of  glorious  suns  and 
systems,  could  have  stooped  to  love  and  care 
and  suffer  and  die  for  the  poor  creatures  of  a 
day,  who  live  on  this  insignificant  planet. 

This  objection  taken  from  the  discoveries  of 


BLIND   BARTIMEUS,  139 

astronomy,  Dr.  Chalmers  lias  swept  away,  in 
his  own  magnificent  manner,  in  his  Astronom- 
ical Discourses,  and  I  shall  not  attempt  "the 
height  of  his  great  argument."  Neither  does 
it  suit  my  present  design  to  enter  on  a  long 
discussion.  But  if  the  naturalness  and  beauty 
of  this  scene  near  Jericho  be  granted,  does  it 
not  throw  light  on  that  tremendous  tragedy 
which  the  gospel  declares  to  have  been  enacted 
on  Calvary  ?  Granting, — as  who  will  not  ? — 
that  no  violence  is  done  in  this  scene  to  any  of 
our  ideas  of  the  becoming  and  beautiful,  but 
rather  that  we  have  here  a  most  attractive 
blending  of  grace,  condescension  and  heavenly 
charity,  may  not  the  Cross  itself  be  granted, 
and  its  Divine  Sufferer  ? 

To  a  narrow  vision  a  structure  may  seem 
unsightly  from  its  vastness,  while  in  miniature 
the  same  eye  might  find  the  proportions  ex- 
quisite. And  have  we  not,  in  this  standing 
still  of  Jesus,  amidst  the  urgencies  of  such  a 
journey,  at  the  call  of  a  beggar,  a  miniature 
of  the  very  things  by  which  some  are  con- 
founded or  repelled,  in  the  immense  transac- 
tions of  the  Atonement  ?     It  was  worthy  of 


140  BLIND   BARTIMEU3. 

the  illustrious  Stranger — nay,  it  was  beauti- 
ful, it  was  sublime — to  stay  for  the  relief  of 
the  unhappy  beggar,  though  His  own  mind 
was  burdened  with  the  weight  of  the  infinite 
sacrifice  He  was  about  to  offer.  Then  who 
shall  so  vilify  the  redemption  of  men  by  the 
Cross,  as  to  pronounce  it  unworthy  of  the 
Sovereign  of  a  universe  to  which  our  earth  is 
but  an  atom  ?  Shall  an  astronomer  be  so 
lost  in  God's  glory  declared  by  the  heavens,' 
in  their  measureless  and  bright  immensity,  as 
to  scorn  the  thought  of  His  upholding  and 
blessing  each  sun  and  star  ?  Then  if  these 
philosophers  gaze  on  the  luminous,  illimitable 
fields  of  creation,  until  their  dazzled  minds 
turn  back  with  contempt  to  the  world  on 
which  they  dwell,  and  find  no  worth  nor 
grandeur  in  the  Cross  which  redeems  it,  though 
it  saves  numbers  without  number  from  perdi- 
tion, and  glorifies  them  in  the  light  of  God, 
and  displays  His  Attributes  before  an  admir- 
ing universe,  let  us  hold  up  the  confessed 
truthfulness  and  beauty  of  this  simple  inci- 
dent, till,  "  like  a  mirror  of  diamond,  it  pierce 

'  Psalm  xix.  1 


BLIND   BAKTIMEUS.  141 

tlieir  misty  eye-balls'"  and  lead  them  on  to 
the  acknowledgment  of  the  truth. 

"  Jesus  stood  still,"  and  when  did  He  ever 
refuse  to  stay  at  the  call  of  the  distressed  sin- 
ner? Nay,  if  He  stayed  then,  when  can  He 
refuse  ?  Is  He  not  the  same,  yesterday,  to- 
day and  for  ever  V  Has  the  love,  which 
death  and  the  grave  could  not  quench,  per- 
ished in  His  exaltation  ?*  Did  He  not  bring 
it  with  Him  from  the  Throne  ?  Or  rather, 
did  it  not  bring  Him  from  the  Throne  ?*  And 
is  it  not  an  everlasting  love  ?  O  needy  sin- 
ner. He  cannot  refuse  your  cry.  "  Jesus,  Son 
of  David,  have  mercy  on  me,"  finds  its  way 
through  the  adoring  ranks  of  saints  and  angels, 
and  constrains  His  gracious  heart.  He  cannot 
resist  it.  He  has  bound  Himself  in  covenant 
to  regard  it.''  Every  thing  else  shall  give  way, 
if  need  be,  but  it  shall  prevail.  Heaven  and 
earth  shall  pass  away,  but  not  His  word  of 
promise  to  a  sinner.'' 

The  fires  of  eternal  vengeance  stood  still 

1  Milton.     Ref.  in  Eng.    Book  I.        2  Heb.,  xiii.  8. 
'  John,  xiii.  1 ;  xiy.  1-3.  ^  Phil,  ii.  6-8. 

s  John,  xiv.  13, 14.  »  Mat.,  xxiv.  35. 


142  BLIND  BARTIMEUS. 

over  Sodom  till  Lot  was  gone  out.*  The  waves 
stood  still,  and  the  depths  were  congealed  in  the 
heart  of  the  sea  till  the  children  of  Israel  passed 
over,''  The  down-rushing  waters  of  swollen 
Jordan  stood  still,  as  the  feet  of  the  priests 
touched  their  brim,  and  rose  up  as  a  wall  till 
the  chosen  tribes  had  gained  their  inheritance.^ 
At  the  cry  of  Joshua,  the  sun  stood  still  in  the 
midst  of  the  heavens,  and  the  moon  in  the 
valley  of  Ajalon,  until  the  Lord's  hosts  had 
avenged  themselves  upon  their  enemies.^  And 
at  the  prayers  and  tears  of  Hezekiah,  Time, 
whose  onward  urgency  is  the  most  inexorable 
of  all  things,  not  only  stood  still,  but  retreat- 
ed. Ten  degrees  backward  did  the  shadow  go 
on  the  sun-dial  of  Ahaz,  and  fifteen  years 
were  added  to  the  life  of  the  dying  king.^ 

But  ah,  me !  death  is  swifter  than  time, 
and  hell  deeper  than  the  sea,  and  Grod^s  wrath 
against  sin  mightier  than  its  waves,  and  fiercer 
than  the  fires  of  Sodom;  and  can  these  be 
stayed  ?  Yes,  yes,  since  Christ  received  all  this 
wrath  into  His  own  soul,  and  there  exhausted  it,* 

'  Gen.,  xix.  23,  24.  2  Ex.,  xv.  8. 

=  Joshua,  iii.  15-17.  ■•  Joshua,  x.  12,  13. 

'  2  Kings,  XX.  1-11.  « I3.,  liii.  6;  John,  xix.  30. 


BLIND  BARTIMEUS.  143 

even  these  stand  still  at  the  cry  of  the  weak- 
est sinner  praying  in  faith  to  Jesus  Christ,  or 
in  Christ's  name.'  And  if  a  little  child  even, 
do  but  trust  in  Him,  he  may  walk  through 
the  valley  of  the  shadow  of  death,  singing  as 
he  goes  this  cheerful  song  of  defiance,  0  Death, 
where  is  thy  sting?  0  Grave,  where  is  thy 
victory  ?'  For,  since  the  Messiah  was  cut  off, 
but  not  for  Himself,  He  hath  made  an  end  of 
sin,  and  brought  in  everlasting  righteousness  ; 
the  Law  is  satisfied,  and  the  head  of  the  old 
Serpent  bruised.^* 

Then  let  burdened  sinners  be  of  good  heart 
and  come  to  Jesus  Christ.  Let  them  cry  for 
mercy  where  they  will,  their  faith  may  be 
sure  that  Jesus  Christ  is  "standing  still"  just 
before  them,  looking  kindly  on  them,  and 
ready  to  give  them  His  blessing.  He  passed 
that  way  that  Bartimeus  might  cry  to  Him, 
and  He  came  on  earth  that  we  might  all  cry  to 
Him  for  mercy.  Our  crying  is  the  fruit  of  His 
coming,  not  its  cause.  He  came  of  His  own 
grace,  and  we  pray  because  of  our  need.    But 

*  Mark,  ix.  23 ;  Rom.,  viii.  31-39 

3  Ps.  xxiii.  4  ;  1  Cor.,  xv.  55.     '  Dan.,  ix  24,  26 ;  Gen.,  iii.  Ic 


144  BLIND   BARTIMEUS. 

we  would  have  sat  for  ever  voiceless  and  de- 
spairing in  our  blindness,  if  His  coming  had 
not  filled  our  hearts  with  hope,  and  our 
mouths  with  supplications. 

The  three  evangelists  united  in  saying  that 
"Jesus  stood  still,"  but  now  their  expressions 
differ.  Each  one  sounds  a  note  which  the 
others  do  not  wake,  and  together  they  make 
a  noble  harmony.  Do  not  fail  to  notice  the  ad- 
vantage of  comparing  Scripture  with  Scrip- 
ture. This  is  one  of  the  most  beautiful  in- 
stances I  have  found.  Matthew  says,  "He 
called ;"  Mark,  "  He  commanded  him  to  be 
called  ;"  and  Luke,  "  He  commanded  him  to 
be  brought  unto  Him."  There  you  have  the 
three  great  steps  in  a  sinner's  effectual  calling 
illustrated.  Bartimeus  was  called,  Sovereign- 
ly, by  the  voice  of  Christ ;  Instrumentally,  by 
the  voice  of  men ;  and  Efficiently,  by  the 
helping  hands  which  guided  his  willing  steps 
to  Jesus.  So  we  may  look  upon  his  call,  and 
the  gracious  call  of  every  sinner  who  becomes 
a  saint,  in  its  divine  Origin,  its  gentle  Instru- 
ments, and  its  effectual  Aids. 

I.  "  He  called."  Our  vocation  is  of  God.    He 


BLIND  BARTIMEUS.  145 

hath  called  us  out  of  darkness  into  His  mar- 
vellous light.*  The  God  of  all  grace  hath 
called  us  unto  His  eternal  glorj  by  Christ 
Jesus."  Our  calling  is  a  holy  calling,  a  high 
calling,  a  heavenly  calling.^  Its  source  is 
divine  grace,  its  rule  the  divine  purpose,  and 
it  is  the  fruit  of  election.  We  are  chosen  in 
eternity  and  called  in  time.* 

"  He  called."  This  word  of  Matthew  con- 
tains, as  in  the  seed,  the  expressions  of  Mark 
and  Luke.  All  the  agencies,  by  which  the 
soul  is  persuaded  and  enabled  to  embrace 
Jesus  Christ  freely  offered  to  us  in  the  gos- 
pel, are  hidden  in  this,  His  loving  call,  as  the 
leaves  and  flowers  and  golden  fruit  are  all 
folded  in  the  germ.  Many  providences,  many 
scriptures,  many  ordinances,  many  movements 
of  the  Spirit  may  lay  hold  on  a  soul  to  draw- 
it  to  Christ ;  but  they  are  all  so  many  threads 
which  Christ  holds  in  His  own  hand.  They 
have  all  their  power  from  His  drawing. 

Then  let  us  use  this  truth  for  holy  fear.  If 
you  resist  the  appeals  of  God's  ministers,  you 

'  1  Pet.,  ii.  9.  ^  1  Pet,  v.  10.  '  2  Tim.,  i.  9  ;  PML,  iil  4 ; 
Heb.,  iii  1.         <  Gal.,  i.  15  ;  Rom.,  viil  30  ;   2  Tim.,  i.  9, 10. 

13 


146  BLIND   BARTIMEUS. 

resist  God.  If  jou  despise  God's  providences, 
you  despise  Him,  If  jou  stifle  the  alarms  of 
conscience,  you  are  silencing  the  Voice  from 
teaven,  which  may  speak  to  you  no  more  till 
it  speak  in  the  thunders  of  the  Judgment.  Oh, 
see  that  ye  refuse  not  Him  that  speaketh  from 
heaven.  He  that  despised  Moses'  law  died 
without  mercy.  And  a  sorer  punishment — 
sorer  than  a  death,  sure,  bloody  and  merciless, 
is  in  reserve  for  all  who  turn  away  from  Him 
that  speaketh  from  heaven.  For  our  God  is  a 
consuming  fire.' 

Let  us  also  use  this  truth  for  holy  encour- 
agement. Is  it  indeed  Christ's  voice  that 
speaks  by  sacraments  and  Sabbaths  and  gos- 
pel ministers  ?  Then  let  faith  cry.  The  voice 
of  my  Beloved  V  and  open  the  door,  and  He 
shall  come  in  and  sup  with  us  and  we  with 
Him.^  We  shall  feed  upon  the  promises,  and 
His  fruit  shall  be  sweet  to  our  taste.*  Our 
hearts  shall  burn  within  us,^  our  sorrows  be 
comforted,  our  burdens  lightened,  our  graces 
revived,     A  bundle  of  myrrh  shall  He  be  to 

1  Heb.,  X.  28,  29 ;  xii.  25,  29.  2  gong,  ii,  8, 

»  Rev.,  iil  20.  *  Song,  ii.  3.  ^  Luke,  xxiv.  32. 


BLIND  BAETIMEUS.  147 

US,  and  a  cluster  of  camphire  from  the  vine- 
yards of  En-gedi.' 

"  He  called."  In  Jesus  Christ  we  behold 
the  best  of  preachers, — the  divine  Exemplar 
after  whom  all  should  copy. 

While  He  lived  on  earth  He  called  to  men 
every  where,  saying,  If  any  man  thirst  let  him 
come  unto  me  and  drink. '^  In  His  zeal  to  pro- 
claim the  glad  tidings  of  salvation  through 
faith  in  His  name,  anj^  spot  became  a  pulpit, 
any  lost  sinner  a  sufficient  audience.  He 
preached  indeed  in  the  temple  frequently, 
and  in  the  synagogues  habituall}^,  all  over  the 
land ;'  but  also  in  the  street,  on  the  mountain, 
and  on  the  strand  ;*  as  He  walked  by  the  way 
or  sat  at  meals  ;^  when  the  multitude  broke 
in  upon  His  quiet  retreat  in  the  country, 
which  He  had  sought  with  His  disciples,  for 
a  little  needful  rest,*  or  when  the  timid  in- 
quirer came  to  Him  by  night,^  or  the  guilty 
woman  of  Samaria  questioned  Him  as  He  sat 
in  weariness,  at  noon,  on  Jacobs's  well;*  wheth- 

'  Song,  i.  14.     ^  John,  vii.  37.     ^  Luke,  xix.  47  :   iv.  16,  4'i, 

*  Luke,  xiii.  26 ;  Mat.,  v.  1 ;  Luke,  xiii.  1,  2 

*  Luke,  xxiv.  15,  27;  Luke,  xiv.         «  Mark,  vi.  31-.34. 
'  John,  iii.  1,  2.  s  jobn,  jy   G. 


148  BLIND   BARTIMEUS. 

er  the  great  ones  of  Church  and  State  were 
arrayed  before  Him,  or  the  j)oor  and  the  dis- 
eased, the  pubhcan  and  the  abhorred  outcast 
besought  His  mercy.*  All  moved  His  pity. 
None  were  sent  empty  away.  Never  was  He 
so  exhausted  that  He  could  not  give  rest  to  the 
heavy-laden.  Thirsting  Himself,  He  gave  to 
others  the  cup  of  living  water.^  On  his  way 
to  the  Cross,  condemned,  forsaken,  scourged 
and  bleeding.  He  tenderly  addressed  the 
mourning  daughters  of  Jerusalem,  and  in  the 
very  anguish  of  death,  He  gave  eternal  life  to 
the  penitent  robber  by  whom  He  had  just 
been  reviled.^ 

Such  a  Preacher  was  Christ :  yet  it  was  ex- 
pedient for  us  that  He  should  go  away.  The 
purposed  ends  of  His  personal  ministry  on 
earth  were  accomplished,  and  it  was  needful 
that  He  should  leave  the  world  and  go  to  the 
Father,  there  to  prepare  a  place  for  us,  that 
so  He  might  come  again,  and  receive  us  to 
Himself.*  But  rneantime,  the  preaching  of 
the  gospel  was  not  to  cease. 

'  Mat.,  xxiii. ;  Luke,  vii.  36-50  ;  xv.  '^  John,  iv  10. 

"  Luke,  xxiii.  28,  40-43,  with  Mat.,  xxvii.  44. 
*  John,  xiv.  2,  3  ;  xvi.  7,  28. 


BLIND   BARTIMEUS.  149 

IL  "  He  commanded  liim  to  be  called." 
The  Lord  gave  the  word  ;  great  was  the  com- 
pany of  them  that  published  it.^  He  did  not 
leave  Himself  without  a  witness,  nor  His  peo- 
ple without  a  comforter.''  When  He  ascended 
up  on  high,  He  led  captivity  captive,  and 
gave  gifts  unto  men.'  Chiefest  Gift,  Chiefest 
Witness  and  Chiefest  Comforter  was  the  Holj 
Ghost.  But  besides  Him,  and  under  His  min- 
istration, He  gave  some,  apostles;  and  some, 
prophets ;  and  some,  pastors  and  teachers ; 
for  the  perfecting  of  the  saints,  for  the  work 
of  the  ministry,  for  the  edifying  of  the  body 
of  Christ.* 

God  having  reconciled  the  world  unto  Him- 
self by  Jesus  Christ,  hath  given  to  us  the 
ministry  of  reconciliation,  so  that  we  are  am- 
bassadors for  Christ,  as  though  God  did  be- 
seech you  by  us ;  we  pray  you  in  Christ's 
stead  be  ye  reconciled  to  God.'  The  divine 
wisdom  is  clearly  seen  in  this.  The  treasure 
is  in  earthen  vessels  that  the  excellency  of 
the  power  may  be  of  God,  and  not  of  us."     If 

•■  Ps.  Ixviii.  11.     ^  Acts,  i.  8 ;  John,  xiv.  16-18.    =  Eph.,  iv.  8. 
<  Eph.,  iv.  11,  12.  5  2  Cor.,  v.  18-20.  «  2  Cor.,  iy.  7. 

13* 


150  BLIND   BAETIMEUS. 

under  the  music  and  thunder  of  angelic  voices 
the  soul  was  converted,  while  the  Sabbath  air 
was  fragrant  with  heavenly  odors  and  quiver- 
ing with  bright  wings,  our  foolish  hearts,  all 
enravished  with  the  splendor  of  the  vision, 
and  thrilling  still  to  the  celestial  eloquence, 
would  ascribe  to  these  flaming  ministers  the 
glory,  saying,  By  their  might,  by  their  power, 
and  not  by  the  Spirit  of  the  Lord  !^  But  when 
the  worm  Jacob  threshes  the  mountains,"  the 
Spirit  is  honored,  and  Christ  is  honored,  and 
men  and  angels  cry  together,  Not  unto  us,  O 
Lord,  not  unto  us,  but  unto  Thy  name  give 
glory,  for  Thy  mercy,  and  for  Thy  truth's 
sake.^ 

And  so  it  must  be.  God  cannot  give  His 
glory  to  another. ••  The  saved  must  all  be 
saved  by  grace,  and  own  it  too."  The  shout 
of  Grace !  Grace !  shall  be  heard  over  every 
stone  in  the  Heavenly  Temple/ 

So  too,  do  the  preachers  of  the  gospel  stand 
before  the  people  as  trophies  of  the  grace  they 
proclaim*.      Therefore    the    preaching   comes 

'  Zeeh.,  iv.  6.  =  Isa.,  xH.  14,  15.  ^  Ps.  cxv.  1. 

*  Is.,  xlii.  8.  '  2  Tim.,  L  9.  «  Zech.,  iv.  7 


BLIND   BAHTIMEUS.  151 

witli-  the  power  and  tenderness  of  experience. 
"  I  preached,"  says  Bunjan,  "  what  I  felt, 
what  I  smartingly  did  feel,  even  that  under 
which  my  poor  soul  did  groan  and  tremble  to 
astonishment.  Indeed,  I  have  been  as  one 
sent  to  them  from  the  dead.  I  went  myself 
in  chains,  to  preach  to  them  in  chains ;  and 
carried  in  my  own  conscience  that  fire  I  per- 
suaded them  to  beware  of.  I  can  truly  say, 
and  that  without  dissembling,  that  when  I 
have  been  to  preach,  I  have  gone  full  of  guilt 
and  terror,  even  to  the  pulpit  door,  and  there 
it  hath  been  taken  off,  and  I  have  been  at 
liberty  in  my  mind  until  I  have  done  my 
work." '  Oh,  who  cannot  imagine  the  ten- 
derness, the  inflamed  earnestness  and  heart- 
melting  pathos  with  which  he  must  then  have 
preached ! 

If  we  "  call"  because  Christ  has  "  command- 
ed," then  are  we  servants  of  Christ,  servants 
of  the  Church  for  His  sake,  and  servants  of 
the  gospel.  Therefore  must  we  preach  not 
ourselves,  but  Christ  Jesus  our  Lord.'  As 
our  calling  sinners  grows  out  of  His  calling 

»  Grace  Abounding.  ^  2  Cor.,  iv.  5. 


152  BLIND  BARIIMEUS. 

them,  our  great  business  is  to  repeat,  expound 
and  enforce  His  teachings.  His  Word  is  to 
be  the  substance  of  our  preaching,*  His  Spirit 
our  Helper,^  Himself  our  Exemplar.^  Then 
will  He  stand  by  us/  When  we  speak  frorn 
His  mouth,  He  will  speak  by  our  mouths. 
Through  our  voice  of  weakness  will  sound 
His  voice  of  power.  When  in  heathen  lauds 
we  can  but  stammer  brokenly,  in  a  half- 
learned  language,  the  story  of  the  Cross,  He 
will  be  there,  translating  to  the  longing  heart 
the  glad  tidings.  When  we  appear  for  Him, 
He  appears  in  us. 

Let  him  that  heareth,  say,  Come  I^  Then 
all  the  called  may  themselves  become  callers. 
Some  are  especially  chosen  and -ordained  to 
this  work,  but  every  saint  may  have  a  share 
in  it.  O  soul,  once  sick  unto  death,  hast  thou 
found  the  great  Physician  ?  Eun  quickly  to 
thy  dying  neighbors,  and  tell  them  what  He 
has  done  for  thee.  Ah  !  how  canst  thou  help 
it  ?     If  thou  canst  hold  thy  tongue  from  pub- 

'  2  Tim,,  iv.  1,  2,  "^  Acts,  ii.  4;  Eph.,  vi,  19 

s  1  Cor,,  xi,  1 :   1  John,  ii.  6.  ■•  Mat.,  xxviii.  20. 

5  Rev,,  xxii.  17, 


BLIND  BARTIMEUS.  153 

listing  His  fame,  tbou  deservest  that  it  sbould 
stiffen  in  eternal  silence  for  its  base  selfishness 
and  ingratitude ! 

III.  And  now  what  a  word  of  good  cheer 
the  third  evangelist  speaks — "He  commanded 
him  to  be  brought  unto  Him !"  Admire  the 
Lord's  grace  to  the  blind  man.  He  will  not 
leave  him  to  grope  his  dark  way  alone.  Some 
shall  lead  him  by  the  hand.  In  whatever  way, 
he  shall  have  all  the  aid  he  needs  to  come  into 
the  Saviour's  very  presence. 

Blessed  thought!  that  we  who  are  but  men, 
may  have  some  share  in  this  dear  work  of 
guiding  blind  souls  to  Jesus.  There  is  no  dig- 
nity like  it  on  this  side  of  heaven ;  no  bliss 
like  it  to  be  tasted  on  earth.  It  is  worth  liv- 
ing for,  worth  dying  for,  to  guide  one  lost  sin- 
ner to  his  Redeemer. 

But  here  I  rather  choose  to  think  of  the 
higher  than  human  aid,  which  Christ  sends 
with  His  word  to  the  souls  of  His  chosen. 
The  energy  of  Almighty  power  accompanies 
the  preaching  of  the  truth.'  The  Spirit  and 
the  Bride  say,  Come!'     There  is  your  hope 

■'  Eph.,  i.  lT-20.  2  Rev.,  xxii.  17. 


154  BLIND   BARTIMEUS. 

and  our  consolation.  While  we  call  from 
our  pulpitS;  Christ  calls  from  heaven,  and  the 
Spirit  calls  in  jour  very  hearts.  At  the  word 
of  Christ,  we  tell  you  of  your  blindness ;  only 
the  Spirit  can  convince  you  of  your  blindness/ 
We  tell  you  of  Christ;  only  the  Spirit  can 
take  of  the  things  of  Christ,  and  show  them  to 
you.'^  He  alone  can  shine  into  your  hearts  to 
give  the  light  of  the  knowledge  of  the  glory 
of  God  in  the  face  of  Christ.^  We  can  pro- 
phesy to  the  dry  bones  in  the  Valley  of  Vis- 
ion ;  only  He  can  clothe  them  with  flesh  and 
fill  them  with  life,  till  they  shall  rise  and  go 
forth  a  great  army.*  When  bidden,  we  can 
stretch  out  the  rod  over  the  sea  ;  only  He  can 
make  it  a  rod  of  might,  and  send  the  strong 
wind  which  shall  change  the  sea  to  dry  land.* 
But  all  these  this  mighty  Spirit  can  do,  and 
will  do,  at  the  will  of  Christ,  for  the  word  of 
Christ. 

Therefore  we  are  of  good  courage.  We  are 
weak,  but  our  Helper  is  strong.  We  take  the 
word  of  Jesus,  and  while  it  seems  but  a  word 

*  John,  xvL  8,  margin.      '^  John,  xvi.  15.      '  2  Cor.,  iv.  6. 

*  Ezek.,  xxxvii.  1-10.       '  Ex.,  xiv.  16,  21. 


BLIND  BAKTIMEUS.  155 

from  human  lips,  the  Spirit  makes  it  the 
power  of  God  for  salvation.'  It  suddenly  be- 
comes a  two-edged  sword,  quick  and  power- 
ful, in  the  hands  of  Omnipotence.  It  pierces 
to  the  dividing  asunder  of  soul  and  spirit, 
and  of  the  joints  and  marrow — almighty  to  ac- 
complish the  whole  sovereign  will  of  Christ.' 
Sinner,  I  charge  you,  remember  the  dread- 
ful sanction  Christ  puts  on  the  preaching  of 
His  ambassadors  in  these  words  :  He  that  de- 
spise th  }ou,  despiseth  Me,  and  he  that  despi- 
seth  Me,  despiseth  Him  that  sent  Me."  It  is 
heavenly  "Wisdom  that  now  cries,  Turn  you 
at  my  reproof;  behold  I  will  pour  out  my 
Spirit  unto  you.  I  will  make  known  my 
words  unto  you.*  Beware,  then,  lest  one  day 
you  hear  that  awful  voice,  Because  I  have 
called,  and  ye  have  refused  ;  I  have  stretched 
out  my  hand,  and  no  man  regarded ;  but  ye 
have  set  at  nought  all  my  counsel,  and  would 
none  of  my  reproof;  I  also  will  laugh  at  your 
calamity;  I  will  mock  when  your  fear  com- 
eth;   when  your   fear   cometh  as  desolation, 

'  Rom.,  i.,  16.  '  Heb.,  iv.  12  ;  Is.,  Iv.  11. 

*  Luke,  X.  16  «Prov..i.23. 


156  BLIND   BARTIMEUS. 

and  your  destruction  as  a  whirlwind ;  when 
distress  and  anguish  cometh  upon  you !  Then 
shall  they  call  upon  me,  but  I  will  not  an- 
swer ;  they  shall  seek  me  early,  but  they  shall 
not  find  me  !* 

O  Christ,  I  have  preached  the  preaching 
Thou  hast  bidden  me.  Honor  Thine  own 
word,  and  send  Thine  effectual  aids ! 

0  Spirit  of  Jesus,  glorify  the  truth  in  Jesus. 
Display  Thine  almighty  power,  and  lead  these 
poor  sinners  to  Jesus  Christ ! 
'  JProT.,  L  24^28. 


VI. 

"  And  they  call  the  bhnd  man,  saying  unto  him,  Be  of  good 
comfort ;  rise ;  He  calleth  thee.  And  he,  casting  away  his 
garment,  rose  and  came  to  Jesus." 

I  HAT  a  lively  picture  of  gospel 
preaching!  The  seeing  hasten  to 
the  sightless  and  bid  them  come  to 
Jesus  Christ.  Men  whose  eyes  have 
seen  the  Lord,  and  whose  ears  have 
heard  His  gracious  words,  go  at  His  command, 
to  souls  sitting  in  the  region  and  shadow  of 
death,'  and  there  proclaim  aloud  their  joyful 
tidings. 

The  analogy  is  perfect,  if  those  who  wel- 
comed Bartimeus  to  Jesus  could  say,  "  Once 
we,  too,  were  blind  ;  but  He  hath  opened  our 
eyes!"  And  who  shall  deny  that  it  was  so? 
Christ  had  healed  many  blind  men,  and  it  is 
far  from  improbable  that  some  of  them  fol- 

1  Mat.,  iv.  16. 

14 


158  BLIND   BARTIMEUS. 

lowed  Him  ever  after,  waiting  to  be  sent  on 
these  joyful  errands  of  grace. 

Then  with  what  generous  indignation  must 
they  have  heard  the  cruel  rebukes  of  the  mul- 
titude !  O  gospel  preachers,  both  lay  and 
clerical — all  who  in  public  or  in  private,  in 
the  pulpit  or  by  the  way-side,  have  any  thing 
to  tell  to  others  of  Christ's  gracious  dealings 
with  your  souls,  remember  the  wormwood 
and  the  gair  of  your  lost  estate,  and  let  a 
righteous  anger  burn  against  the  world,  the 
flesh  and  the  devil,  against  priest  and  phari- 
see,  and  every  ungodly  church  and  professor, 
who  would  silence  the  cries  of  convicted  souls. 
Think  of  the  woes  of  perishing  sinners,  and 
let  an  honest  zeal  for  their  deliverance  from 
ruin  kindle  your  heart  and  tongue  against  all 
the  agencies  of  hell,  however  disguised,  bap- 
tized or  consecrated,  who  would  drive  even 
the  meanest  sinners — publicans  and  harlots, 
from  Jesus  Christ.  Feel  as  men  once  rescued 
from  a  wreck  would  feel,  if  they  saw,  upon  a 
stormy  sea,  "  swimmers  in  their  agony"  weakly 
grasping  the  icy  shore,  only  to  be  inhumanly 
thrust  back  into  the  wintry  waves. 

■  Lam.,  iii.  19 


BLIND  BAKTIMEUS.  159 

Then  too,  with  what  alarmed  sympathy 
would  these  men,  once  blind,  now  seeing,  have 
regarded  Bartimeus,  if  he  had  wavered  in  his 
earnestness  after  Christ!  What  would  they  not 
have  done  to  have  roused  him  again  to  his  im- 
portunity? O  gosjDel  preachers,  be  it  so  with 
you.  Let  your  hearts  melt  with  concern  for 
timid  souls  turning  away  from  Christ  through 
discouragement.  Would  that  we  could  all  say 
with  Paul,  My  little  children,  of  whom  I  tra- 
vail in  birth  again,  till  Christ  be  formed  in 
you  !^  Would  that  all  ministers  and  all  Chris- 
tians felt  such  anguish  of  love  for  halting- 
souls  1 

And  with  what  alacrity  would  these  messen- 
gers of  Christ  have  hastened  to  bear  His  words 
of  welcome  to  the  blind  man !  Joy  beyond 
expression  would  have  inspired  them.  I  have 
heard  of  a  caravan  which  had  lost  its  way 
in  the  desert.  For  days  they  could  find  no 
water.  The  suffering  was  sore,  and  many 
were  perishing.  Men  were  out  in  all  direc- 
tions searching  for  the  water  that  was  to  be, 
indeed,  water  of  life.     At  last,  faint  and  ready 

>  Gal.,  iv.  19. 


160  BLIND   BAETIMEUS. 

to  die,  one  man  lighted  on  a  spring.  Cool 
and  clear  the  stream  gushed  from  the  rock. 
Almost  frantic  with  thirst,  he  rushed  forward 
and  drank,  drank.  Oh  how  deep  was  the 
bliss  of  that  draught!  Is  it  strange  that  for 
one  moment  he  thought  only  of  himself?  But 
suddenly  the  perishing  multitude  came  before 
his  mind,  and  he  leaped  up,  and  ran  shouting, 
"  Water  !  water  !  Enough  for  all !  Come 
and  drink !"  And  so  from  rank  to  rank  of 
that  scattered  host  he  sped,  until  he  had  told 
them  all,  and  was  himself  thirsty  again.  But 
when  he  saw  the  eager  crowds  rushing  to 
the  fountain,  when  he -beheld  the  refreshment 
and  gladness  of  all  hearts  and  faces,  and  then 
stooped  once  more  himself  to  drink  the  liberal 
stream,  was  not  his  second  draught  full  of 
deeper  bliss  than  even  the  first  ?  Had  he  ever 
tasted  such  water  as  that?  O  blessed  souls 
who  have  drank  of  the  river  of  life,  lift  up 
your  voice  upon  the  mountains,  and  let  your 
feet  be  swift  upon  the  plains,  publishing  the 
good  tidings  of  salvation.' 

This  brings  to  view  the  joyfulness  of  the 

'  Isa.,  lii.  T. 


BLIND   BARTIMEUS.  161 

gospel.  It  is  not  a  message  of  gloom,  a  thing 
to  be  wliispered  in  darkness  as  a  dreadful 
secret.  We  dishonor  the  gospel  when  we 
would  recommend  it  by  a  melancholy  visage. 
We  have  not  entered  into  its  s|)irit,  if,  when 
we  would  press  its  claims  upon  a  friend,  we  go 
stealthily  aside,  and  hang  our  heads,  and  use 
lugubrious  speech,  and  seem  like  doleful  cul- 
prits at  the  confessional,  instead'  of  free  citi- 
zens of  the  Kingdom,  rejoicing  in  our  coming 
inheritance  of  inconceivable  glory.  When 
the  hypocrites  in  Isaiah's  time  would  keep  a 
fast,  they  bowed  their  heads  as  a  bulrush,  and 
spread  sackcloth  and  ashes  under  them.'  And 
in  Christ's  day,  they  were  of  a  sad  counten- 
ance, and  disfigured  their  faces;  but  Christ 
rebuked  this,  and  required  His  disciples  rather 
to  wash  their  faces,  and  anoint  their  heads, 
that  even  in  keeping  a  fast,  they  might  lack 
none  of  the  usual  tokens  of  cheerfulness.^ 

Oh,  the  gospel  is  joyful !  It  found  the  race 
cowering  in  despair  by  the  forbidden  tree, 
under  the  threatened  vengeance  of  Jehovah ; 
and  it  will  not  leave  them,  till  the  last  of  the 

'  Isa.,  Iviii.  5.  ^  Mat.,  vi.  16,  17 

14* 


162  BLIND   BARTIMEUS. 

cliosen  seed  are  exulting  in  eternal  song  be- 
fore tlieir  Father's  Throne.  When  it  first  vis- 
ited our  world,  the  earth  was  groaning  and 
travailing  in  the  bondage  of  corruption.  But 
the  Redeemer  shall  one  day  break  these  chains, 
and  introduce  the  burdened  creation  into  the 
glorious  liberty  of  the  children  of  God.  It  is 
already  waiting  for  their  manifestation,  and 
leaning  forward  in  eager  hope  of  its  own  de- 
liverance.' 

The  gospel  gloomy !  It  is  an  anthem  from 
the  harps  of  heaven,  the  music  of  the  River 
of  Life  washing  its  shores  on  high,  and  pour- 
ing in  cascades  upon  the  earth.  Not  so  cheer- 
ful was  the  song  of  the  morning  stars,  nor  the 
shout  of  the  sons  of  God  so  joyful."  Gushing 
from  the  fountains  of  eternal  harmony,  it  was 
first  heard  on  earth  in  a  low  tone  of  solemn 
gladness,  uttered  in  Eden,  by  the  Lord  God 
Himself.^  This  gave  the  key-note  of  the  gos- 
pel song.  Patriarchs  caught  it  up,  and  taught 
it  to  the  generations  following.  It  breathed 
from  the  harp  of  Psalmists,  and  rang  like  a 
clarion  from  tower  and  mountain-top,  as  pro- 

1  Rom.,  viii.  19-23.      ^  Job,  xxxviii.  7.       ^  Gen.,  iii.  15. 


BLIND   BARTIMEUS.  163 

phets  proclaimed  the  year  of  jubilee.  Fresh 
notes  from  heaven  have  enriched  the  har- 
mony, as  the  Lord  of  hosts  and  His  angels 
have  revealed  new  promises,  and  called  on  the 
suffering  children  of  Zion  to  be  joyful  in  their 
King,'  From  bondage  and  exile,  from  dens 
■  and  caves,  from  bloody  fields  and  fiery  stakes 
and  peaceful  death -beds  have  they  answered, 
in  tones  which  have  cheered  the  disconsolate, 
and  made  oppressors  shake  upon  their  thrones ; 
Avhile  sun  and  moon  and  all  the  stars  of  light, 
stormy  wind  fulfilling  His  word,  the  roaring 
sea  and  the  fulness  thereof,  mountains  and 
hills,  fruitful  fields  and  all  the  trees  of  the 
wood  have  rejoiced  before  the  Lord,  and  the 
coming  of  His  Anointed,  for  the  redemption 
of  His  people,  and  the  glory  of  His  holy 
Name." 

The  gospel  gloomy  !  If  the  best  right,  and 
the  only  right  to  be  glad  on  earth,  with  the 
assured  prospect  of  eternal  blessedness  in 
heaven;  if  songs  in  the  night ^  and  stars  of 
promise;    if  the  light   of   morning   with   ita 

'  Ps.  cxlix.  2.  -  Ps.  xcviiL  11-13  ;  cxlviii.  3,  8, 

'  Job,  XXXV.  10. 


164  BLIND   BARTIMEUS. 

fragrant  breath  and  singing  birds ;  if  health 
for  the  sick,  return  for  the  banished,  pardon 
for  the  doomed,  and  life  for  the  dying ;  if  love, 
joj,  peace,  hope ;  if  harp  and  crown  and  wav- 
ing palm,  and  the  everlasting  vision  of  the 
Eedeemer's  glory  be  gloomy,  then  is  the  gos- 
pel gloomy  ! 

Such  is  the  spirit  of  the  tidings  these  mes- 
sengers bring  to  Bartimeus,  in  this,  his  second 
gospel  sermon.  The  first  told  him  simply  that 
Jesus  was  passing  by.  Now  he  hears  these 
heart- reviving  words,  "  Be  of  good  comfort ; 
rise ;  He  calleth  thee." 

"  Be  of  good  comfort."  On  thy  long  night, 
without  moon  or  star,  or  even  a  dim  candle 
in  thy  dwelling,  the  Day-star  is  dawning.* 
Thine  eyes  have  never  been  used  but  for  weep- 
ing ;  they  seemed  only  made  for  tears.  But 
now  they  shall  serve  thee  for  seeing.  Thou 
shalt  look  upon  earth  and  sky  and  all  dear 
faces  and  even  Christ  thy  Saviour.  Eejoice, 
too,  for  thy  poverty  and  beggary  are  ended. 
Thou  shalt  work  with  thy  hands,  and  eat  the 
bread  of  thine  own  honest  toil.     Be  of  good 

'Luke,  i.  18;    Rev.,  xxii.  16. 


BLIND  BARTIMEUS.  165 

heart.  With  Jesus  for  thy  physician,  thou 
needst  not  fear.  He  never  casts  any  away, 
and  He  never  fails.  At  His  toucb,  how  have 
we  seen  the  blind  gaze,  the  dumb  sing,  the 
lame  cast  away  their  crutches,  and  leap  for 
joy,  and  even  the  dead  awake  and  live !' 

Sinners,  poor,  wretched  and  blind,  but  cry- 
ing for  the  Saviour,  be  not  disconsolate.  "  Be 
of  good  comfort."  After  your  night  of  weep- 
ing, your  morning  of  joy  has  come.''  On  your 
hearts  the  Day-star  is  rising.'  Come  to  Jesus, 
and  roam  and  grope  and  beg- no  more.  Do 
not  fear  to  come.  Oh, He  is  gracious!  Oh, 
He  is  mighty  !  His  blood  cleanseth  from  all 
sin.''  He  is  able  to  save  to  the  uttermost.' 
This  is  the  work  in  which  His  soul  delighteth. 
None  can  measure  His  love.*  It  is  stronger 
than  death,  even  the  death  of  the  Cross.  And 
the  satisfaction  He  desires  for  all  the  travail 
of  His  soul,  is  just  to  pardon  and  cleanse 
guilty  sinners.^  "  Be  of  good  comfort"  then, 
and  come  to  Jesus  Christ. 

"  Eise !"  say  the  preachers  to  Bartimeus,  and 

'  Mat,  xL  5.      ^  Ps.  XXX.  5.      '  2  Pet.,  i.  19.       *  John,  i.  T 
"  Heb.,  vii.  2.'5.  «  Eph.,  iii.  19.  '  Is.   liii.  10,  11. 


166  BLIND  BAETIMEUS, 

SO  we  cry.  There  is  salvation  for  the  sinner, 
none  for  the  sluggard.  There  is  pardon  for 
all  sin,  except  not  coming  to  Jesus.'  Whether 
from  hatred,  doubt,  or  indifference,  it  is  the 
same,  if  you  will  not  rise  and  come,  you  per- 
ish. Laziness  is  a  slow  devil.  He  looks  easy, 
and  sometimes  amiable.  But  none  are  more 
obstinate,  and  few  have  carried  more  to  hell 
than  he.  Not  to  receive  Christ  is  to  reject 
Him.  Not  to  love  Him  is  to  hate  Him  and 
be  Anathema.^  How  often  would  I  have  gath- 
ered you,  says  Christ,  as  He  weeps  over  the 
doom  of  Jerusalem,  but  ye  would  not  P  Ah, 
that  is  the  secret  of  damnation — Ye  would  not 
come  unto  me  that  ye  might  have  life.  Eise, 
then,  ye  unpardoned.  Away  witb  your  fears 
and  doubts.  They  are  unreasonable  and 
wicked.  Break  off  your  indifference.  It  is 
a  noiseless  chain,  indeed,  but  be  not  deceived ; 
the  chain  that  does  not  clank  is  the  tightest. 
Let  me  take  the  trumpet  of  the  Holy  Ghost, 
and  may  He  fill  it  with  a  sound  that  shall 
pierce  your  heart; — ^Awake  thou  that  sleepest. 

'  John,  vi.  37,  with  v.  40.  ^  1  Cor.,  xvi.  22. 

"  Mat,  xxiii.  37. 


BLIND  BARTIMEUS.  167 

and  arise  from  the  dead,  and  Christ  shall  give 
thee  light  I' 

"He  calleth  thee."  What  more  canst  thou 
want,  Bartimeus?  If  He  calk  thee.  He  will 
cure  thee.  If  He  calls,  who  can  forbid  ?  His 
call  would  clear  a  way  for  thee  through  all 
this  multitude,  if  they  should  oppose.  All  the 
devils  in  hell  could  not  keep  thee  back,  poor, 
sightless,  helpless  man,  if  thy  Saviour  calls 
thee. 

Thy  call  is  thy  warrant.  The  call  of  Christ 
is  warrant  enough  for  any  sinner.  He  may 
use  it  against  the  Law  and  Satan  and  his  own 
evil  conscience.  For  example,  Satan  comes 
to  him  and  says, 

"  What,  wretch  !  art  thou  going  to  Christ  ?" 

"  Ay,  that  I  am,  with  all  my  heart." 

"  But  will  He  receive  thee  ?" 

"  Ay,  that  He  will,  with  all  His  heart." 

''Truly,  thou  art  a  brave  talker!  Who 
taught  thee  this  lofty  speech  ?" 

"  Nay,  my  speech  is  lowly,  and  I  learned 
it  of.  my  Lord," 

"But  where  is  thy  warrant?     None  can  go 
to  Christ  without  a  warrant." 
'  Eph.,  V.  14. 


168  BLIND  BAETIMEUS. 

"  He  calleth  me — be  that  my  warrant !" 

"But  where  is  tlij  fitness?"  says  Satan, 
shifting  his  ground. 

"  Be  my  warrant  my  fitness — He  calleth 
me,"  answers  the  sinner  keeping  his  ground, 
his  only  ground. 

"But  listen,  soul!  Thou  art  going  before  a 
King.  He  cannot  look  upon  iniquity,"'  (for 
you  see  Satan  can  quote  Scripture,)  "and 
thou  art  but  a  mass  of  iniquity ;"  (here  the 
devil  afifects  a  great  horror  of  it,  to  fill  the 
sinner  with  fear.)  "  The  heavens  are  not  clean 
in  His  sight  ]^  how  then  shall  thy  filthiness 
appear  before  Him  ?  Look  at  thy  rags,  if  thy 
blind  eyes  will  let  thee,  and  say,  what  a  dress 
is  this  to  take  into  His  presence  !" 

"It  is  all  true,"  says  the  contrite  sinner, 
"  still  I  will  go,  for  He  calleth  me,  I  will  bind 
this  call  about  me  and  it  shall  be  my  dress^ 
till  He  give  me  another.  I  will  hold  up  this 
call,  written  with  His  own  hand,  and  signed 
with  His  own  name,  and  sealed  with  His  own 
blood,  and  it  shall  be  my  defence  and  plea. 
Miserable  and  unworthy  as  I  am,  and  deserv- 

'  Hab.,  i.  13.  =  Job,  xv.  15. 


BLIND   BAIiTIMEUS.  169 

ing,  I  know,  to  die,  with  this  I  have  boldness 
and  access  with  confidence/  saying  only,  like 
little  Samuel,  Here  am  I,  for  Thou  didst  call 
me  !"* 

Bartimeus  needed  no  more.  "Casting  away 
his  garment,  he  rose  and  came  to  Jesus."  It 
could  not  be  otherwise.  True  earnestness  does 
not  wait.  Conscious  wretchedness  in  the  pre- 
sence of  a  trusted  Saviour  cannot  delay.  Only 
half-convictions  can  procrastinate.  Sinners 
who  hang  back  and  yet  look  forward,  longing 
and  tarrying,  hearing  a  thousand  exhortations 
but  waiting  for  one  more,  have  either  shallow 
views  of  sin  or  low  views  of  Christ.  I  praj^ 
you  take  heed  of  that ;  there  is  your  trou- 
ble,— shallow  views  of  sin  or  low  views  of 
Christ.  Either  you  do  not  see  your  need  of 
such  a  Saviour,  or  you  do  not  see  Him  to  be 
the  Saviour  you  need.  If  you  knew  what  a 
sinner  you  are,  and  what  a  Saviour  He  is,  you 
would  go  to  Him  at  once  and  be  saved. 

"  A  full  conviction  of  sin,"  says  John  Owen,* 
"  is  a  great  and  shaking  surprisal  unto  a  guilty 
soul."     And  without  such  surprisals  men  will 

'  Eph.,  iii.  12  -  1  Sain.,  iii.  6.  3  Qn  Heb.  vi.  18. 

L5 


170  BLIND  BAKTIMEUS. 

die  in  their  carnal  security.  Therefore  though 
the  gospel  is  indeed  a  message  of  gladness,  its 
preachers  must  often  preach  heavy  and  bittei 
things.  The  Old  Testament  ends  with  the 
word  "  Curse,"  while  the  New  begins  with 
this  announcement,  "  The  book  of  the  genera- 
tion of  Jesus  Christ."  But  until  this  sound  of 
an  avenging  Law  has  rung  dreadfully  in  the 
sinner's  ears,  little  will  he  care  for  the  glad 
tidings  of  the  gospel. 

Would  to  God  our  message  might  ever 
sound  in  music  and  not  in  thunder !  that  we 
might  stand  evermore  on  the  green  top  of  sun- 
lit Gerizim,  and  never  again  on  the  stormy 
height  of  gloomy  Ebal!"  that  our  doctrine 
might  drojD  as  the  rain,  and  our  speech  distil 
as  the  dew,  as  the  small  rain  upon  the  tender 
herb,  and  as  the  showers  upon  the  grass  P 
But  what  care  they  for  refuge  who  have  not 
heard  of  wrath  ?  for  Calvary,  who  have  never 
trembled  under  the  blaze  and  roar  of  Sinai  ? 
for  pardon,  who  are  not  convinced  of  sin  ?  for 
the  treasures  hid  in  Christ,  who  say,  I  am  rich 
and  increased  with  goods,  and  have  need  of 

'  Deut,  xi.  29.  ^  Pent.,  xxxiL  2. 


BLIND   BARTIMEUS.  171 

nothing;  and  know  not,  alas  I  that  they  are 
wretched  and  miserable,  and  poor,  and  blind, 
and  naked !' 

If  our  hearers  were  all  like  Bartimeus,  our 
message  might  always  begin,  "  Be  of  good 
comfort."  If  men  felt  their  burdens,  we  would 
gently  say,  Come  unto  me,  all  ye  that  labor 
and  are  heavy  laden,  and  I  will  give  you  rest.' 
If  they  were  conscious  of  their  thirst,  how 
joyfully  would  we  cry.  Ho,  every  one  that 
thirstctb,  come  ye  to  the  waters  I^  If  they 
were  already  cut  to  the  heart  with  sharp  con- 
victions, and  were  crying  to  us,  Sirs_,  what 
must  we  do  to  be  saved  ?  most  gladly  would 
we  answer,  Believe  on  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ, 
and  ye  shall  be  saved.'' 

The  gospel  w  joyful,  though  it  has  one  note 
of  terror — He  that  belie veth  not  shall  be 
damned.*  It  announces  that  there  is  no  need  ot 
damnation.  We  may  all  be  saved,  if  we  will 
but  believe.  It  does  not  create  our  condem- 
nalion,*  we  are  condemned  already.''  It  finds 
us  in  chains  and  tells  us  how  we  may  escape. 

'  Rev.,  iu.  17.  =  Mat,  xi.  28.  =  Isa.,  Iv.  1. 

4  Acts,  xvi.  29-31.     5  Mark,  xvi.  16.  «  Jolin,  iii.  17. 

'  Jolui,  iii.  18. 


172  BLIND   BAETIMEUS. 

Am  I  not  still  the  bearer  of  glad  tidings,  if 
I  burst  into  tlie  cell  of  the  doomed  man  and 
cry,  Here  is  jonr  pardon !  Come  out  at  once, 
and  you  shall  live !  even  if,  as  I  see  him  con- 
tentedly hugging  his  chain,  or  sinking  back 
into  his  stupid  sleep,  I  seize  him  with  rough 
kindness,  and  cry  out  to  him  with  an  energy 
of  love  that  seems  like  fierceness,  Rise-  and 
flee,  or  you  perish  I  All  who  are  found  within 
these  walls,  when  the  bell  of  doom  begins  to 
toll,  must  die ! 

The  ancient  heathen  had  this  saying;  "  The 
feet  of  the  avenging  deities  are  shod  with 
wool."  Shod  with  wool !  Yes,  they  crept  with 
noiseless  steps,  that  the  touch  that  aroused, 
might  be  the  blow  that  destroyed.  It  is  not 
so  with  our  merciful  God.  He  sounds  an 
alarm  that  we  may  seek  a  refuge.  His  thun- 
der rolls  along  the  distant  horizon,  that  we 
may  take  in  sail  and  be  ready  for  the  storm, 
the  storm  which  would  have  burst  upon  us  no 
less  surely,  without  this  gracious  warning. 

As  Bartimeus  rose  to  hasten  to  Jesus,  he 
"  cast  away  his  garment,"  his  loose  upper 
robe.      He   would   suffer  no  hindrance.     He 


BLIND   BARTIMEUS.  173 

may  have  thrown  it  aside  unconsciously,  but 
it  was  the  action  of  nature — nature  in  earnest 
for  some  great  end. 

Let  us  take  the  lesson.  If  we  would  win 
Christ,  we  must  lay  aside  every  weight,  and 
the  sin  which  so  easily  besets  us' — the  sin  we 
have  daily  wrapped  about  us  like  our  gar- 
ment. We  must  forget  those  things  which 
are  behind,  and  reach  forth  unto  those  things 
which  are  before.^  Hearken,  O  daughter,  and 
consider,  and  incline  thine  ear;  forget  also 
thine  own  people  and  thy  father's  house.  So 
shall  the  King  greatly  desire  thy  beauty ;  for 
He  is  thy  Lord,  and  worship  thou  Him.^ 

Cain  sacrificed  unto  the  Lord,  but  he  could 
not  cast  off  his  envy,  and  it  soon  constrained 
him  to  murder.*  Balaam  sighed  for  the  death 
of  the  righteous ;  but  when  he  saw  the  wages 
of  unrighteousness,  they  seemed  so  goodly  a 
garment,  that  he  drew  it  around  him,  and 
died  a  very  different  death  indeed — slain  by 
the  aveuging  sword  of  Israel,  and  mingling 
his  blood  with  the  blood  of  those  he  had  se- 

'  Heb.,  xil  1.  "  PhD.,  iii.  13.  '  Pa.  xlv.  10,  11, 

*  Gen.,  iv.  3,  5,  8. 

15* 


174  BLIND   BARTIMEUS. 

duced  into  licentiousness  and  idolatry.'  Felix 
trembled  as  Paul  preached ;  but  procrastina- 
tion was  so  wrapped  about  him  that  he  could 
not  cast  it  off,  and  so  he  never  came  to  Christ." 
When  Herod  heard  John  the  Baptist,  he  did 
many  things,  and  heard  him  gladly  ;  yet  when 
the  stern  prophet  put  forth  his  hand  to  tear 
away  the  robe  of  lust,  whose  clinging  poison 
was  eating  into  his  soul,  Herod  bound  him  in 
prison  and  murdered  him,^  and  died,  at  length, 
in  exile  and  shame.^  The  young  Ruler  came 
even  running  to  Christ,  such  was  his  eager- 
ness for  salvation ;  but  a  searching  word  about 
his  possessions  suddenly  stopped  him.  He 
hesitated,  he  yearned  for  the  blessing  of  eter- 
nal life.  He  was  so  guileless,  so  full  of  virtue, 
so  ingenuous,  so  warm  in  his  aspirations  for 
immortal  purity  and  blessedness.  He  looked 
upon  Jesus  with  longing ;  Jesus  looked  upon 
him  with  love.  Is  it  too  much  to  believe  that 
they  both  wept  ?  But  ah  !  that  cloth  of  gold 
in  which  he  had  arrayed  himself,  and  which 
tie  wore  in  his  high  station  with  such  grace 

■  Num.,  xxiii.  10;  2  Pet.,  ii.  15;  Num.,  xxxi.  8,  16. 

2  Acts,  xxiv.  25.       '  Mark,  vi.  17,  20,  27.       "  .Tesephus. 


BLIND  BARTIMEUS.  175 

and  pride — tliat  jewelled  robe  seemed  too  i3re- 
cious  to  rend  and  scatter  to  the  poor :  so  lie 
drew  it  slowly  around  him,  and  went  sorrow- 
fally  away,  and  it  became,  I  fear,  his  poor 
soul's  winding-sheet!'  Ananias  and  Sapphira 
professed  the  faith  of  Christ,  joined  the  Church, 
and  even  made  a  great  sacrifice  of  their  pos- 
sessions for  it ;  but  unable  to  cast  off  the  gar- 
ment of  lying  ostentation,  God  touched  it  with 
His  wrath,  and  consumed  them.''  Judas  was 
numbered  with  the  twelve  apostles,  and  ob- 
tained part  of  their  ministry ;  but  he  still  wore 
the  secret  robe  of  avarice,  and  it  grew  to  his 
very  flesh,  and  ate  into  his  heart  as  a  canker, 
and  when  his  heart  was  gone,  he  betrayed  his 
Master,* and  hurried  to  perdition.^ 

How  do  these  cases  search  and  condemn 
many  professors  of  religion !  Cain  shows 
that  professed  worshippers  of  God  may  perish  ; 
Balaam  and  Felix,  that  holy  aspirations  and 
fearful  convictions  may  yet  end  in  destruc- 
tion; Herod,  that  those  who  hear  joyfully  the 

■  Mark,  x.  17-22.  '  Acts,  v.  1-11. 

^Acts,  i.  17;  John,  xii.  6;  Mat,  xxvi.  14-16,  47-49' 
xxvii.  5. 


176  BLIND    BARTIMEUS. 

most  faithful  preaching  aod  go  far  in  their 
obedience,  may  yet  be  lost.  The  young  man 
■whom  Jesus  loved  proves  the  utter  insuffi- 
ciency of  human  virtue  without  the  grace  of 
God.  Ah,  more ;  how  much  it  is  to  be  feared 
that  that  same  word  about  the  possessions 
spoken  to  many  in  this  day,  who  are  "  run- 
ning" most  complacently  in  their  profession, 
would  give  them  a  check  from  which  they 
would  never  recover.  And  as  to  the  sin  of 
Ananias  and  Sapphira,  it  would  seem  that 
many  modern  Church  members  think  that 
the  essence  of  the  sin  was  in  selling  the  land 
at  all,  and  laying  any  part  of  the  price  at  the 
Apostles'  feet!  Oh,  how  should  they  be 
afraid,  who  are  content  that  souls  now  in  hell 
should  have  surpassed  all  their  proofs  of  love 
to  Christ  and  His  poor !  Lastly,  the  perdition 
of  the  traitor  rings  an  alarm-bell  in  the  ears, 
not  only  of  all  professors,  but  all  ministers, 
crying  out  that  they,  who  have  preached  the 
gospel  to  others,  may  themselves  be  cast 
away.' 

There  is  yet  one  garment,  which  more  than 

'  1  Cor.,  ix.  27. 


BLIND   BARTIMEUS.  177 

all  others  men  bug  about  tbem,  and  tbat  is 
Self-rigbteousness.  It  is  a  miserable  and  filthy 
affair,  a  thing  of  patcb-work  and  rags.'  But 
the  blind  sinner  tbinks  it  fair  and  comely. 
He  draws  it  about  him  in  pride,  and  his  soul 
has  comfort. 

Some  men  toil  all  tbeir  lives  to  make  it 
large  and  clean  and  beautiful,  and  to  set  it 
richly  with  gems  of  virtue  and  good  works. 
Paul  was  a  diligent  worker  at  this,  and  for  a 
while  be  thought  himself  very  successful,  and 
used  to  survey  himself  in  the  glass  of  the  law 
with  great  complacency.  He  counts  over  to 
us  seven  fair  colors  tbat  were  woven  into  it, 
making  it,  in  his  estimation,  like  a  rainbow  for 
beauty ; — If  any  other  man  thinketb  he  hath 
whereof  he  might  trust  in  tbe  flesh,  I  more  ; 
circumcised  the  eightb  day,  of  the  stock  of 
Israel,  of  the  tribe  of  Benjamin,  an  Hebrew 
of  tbe  Hebrews  ;  as  touching  tbe  law,  a  Phari- 
see ;  concerning  zeal,  persecuting  tbe  Cburcb ; 
touching  the  righteousness  whicb  is  in  the 
law,  blameless  P  On  all  tbese  be  looked  witb 
great  satisfaction,  little  knowing  how  blind  he 
'  la,  Ixiv.  6.  2  pijii^^  jij_  4_Q_ 


178  BLIND   BARTIMEUS. 

was,  nor  what  a  poor,  unsiglitlj  wretcli  in  the 
eyes  of  God.  But  when  the  great  hght  from 
heaven  shone  upon  him,  and  God  opened  his 
eyes/  he  saw  that  he  was  vile,  and  had  no 
righteousness  at  all.^  He  poured  nothing  but 
contempt  on  the  glory  of  his  old  pride.^  As 
he  grew  older  he  seemed  to  delight  to  stain  it 
more  and  more.^  At  last,  many  years  after, 
he  wrote  a  letter  to  his  son  Timothy,  and  con- 
fessed that  all  that  time  he  was  a  blasphemer, 
and  a  persecutor  and  injurious,  and  the  chief 
of  sinners/ 

This  garment  must  always  be  renounced 
when  a  sinner  would  come  to  Jesus  Christ. 
But  it  is  very  hard  to  do.  The  old  ploughman 
was  right  when  he  told  Hervey  that  it  was 
harder  to  get  rid  of  righteous  self  than  of  sin- 
ful self.  Hervey  thought  it  a  very  ridiculous 
speech  at  the  time,  for  he  knew  little  of  grace 
then  ;  but  afterwards  he  learned  in  the  school 
of  Christ  that  it  was  so  indeed. 

Some  remainders,  of  it,  however, — some 
shreds  and  patches, -hang  about  all  saints  on 

»  Acts,  ix.  1-18.  s  Phil,  iii.  3.  =  Phil.,  iii.  7-9. 

*  1  Cor.,  XV.  9,  with  Eph.,  iii.  8,  and  1  Tim.,  i.  15. 
5  1  Tim.,  i.  13    15.  16. 


BLIND  BARTIMEUS.  179 

earth.  And  what  is  very  marvellous,  even 
after  thev  have  seen  and  abhorred  its  filthi- 
ness,  if  God  would  suffer,  they  would  all 
make  haste  and  weave  these  rags  together 
again,  and  think  them  comely,  and  wear  them 
in  pride  I 

Job,  who  was  one  of  the  best  of  men,  was 
once  found  doing  too  much  of  this,  (as  you 
may  see  in  the  twenty-ninth  and  thirty-first 
chapters,)  when  God  suddenly  gave  him  a 
sight  of  himself  in  the  mirror  of  infinite  ma- 
jesty and  sovereignty,'  and  the  sight  so  over- 
whelmed him  that  he  exclaimed,  I  am  vile.'^ 
Once  more  God  flashed  tlio  light  of  that  terri- 
ble mirror  upon  him,^  for  He  meant  to  make 
thorough  work,  and  Job  cried  out,  I  have 
heard  of  Thee  by  the  hearmg  of  the  ear  ;  but 
now  mine  eye  seeth  Thee  ;  wherefore  I  abhor 
myself,  and  repent  in  dust  and  a^es.* 

Oh  that  God  may  give  us  all  grace  to  cast 
this  wretched  garment  away,  tearing  it  and 
stamping   it  in   the   dust,   that   we  may  win 

» Job,  chapters  xxxviii.,  xxxix.  and  xL  1,  2. 

"  Job,  xl.  3.  ^  Job,  xl.  6-24,  and  chapter  xli. 

*  Job,  xhi.  5,  6. 


180  BLIND   BAKTIMEUS. 

Christ,  and  be  found  in  Him,  not  having  our 
own  righteousness,  which  is  of  the  law,  but 
that  which  is  tlirougli  the  faitb  of  Christ,  the 
righteousness  which  is  of  God  bj  faith  1* 

'  Phil.,  iii.  8,  9. 


Vll. 

"  And  when  he  was  come  near,  Jesus  asked  him,  "What  ■wilt  thou 
that  I  should  do  unto  thee?  The  blind  man  said  unto  Him,  Lord 
that  I  might  receive  my  sight  I'' 

AETIMEUS  is  at  length  at  the  feet  of 
Jesus.     He  cannot  see  Him  yet,  but 
.^    he  feels  it  good  to  be  there — there  in 
the  dust,  there  in  darkness. 

And  who  ever  found  it  otherwise? 
Ob,  what  sorrows  have  been  brought  to  the 
Saviour's  feet — shame,  disappointment,  be- 
reavement, sickness  of  heart  and  flesh,  the 
stings  of  remorse,  the  inward  burning  of  di- 
vine wrath,  the  pains  of  utter  despair!  But 
who  that  ever  came  in  wretchedness  did  not 
here  find  blessedness  ? 

I  do  not  mean  now  the  blessedness  of  the 
final  and  great  relief,  when  heavenly  light  has 
streamed  through  all  the  broken  heart  and 
healed  it;  but  the  blessedness,  simply,  of 
having  come  to  Jesus,  the  blessedness  of  be- 
ing consciously  near  Him. 
16 


182  BLIND   BARTIMEUS. 

All  coming  to  Christ  is  good.  While  only 
the  Law  works,  the  sinner  only  suffers.  The 
cliflfs  of  Sinai  are  falling.  Heavy  bolts  from 
the  thick  darkness  where  God  is,  break  the 
heart.*  But  the  Gospel  gives  peace.  We  joy 
in  God  through  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  by 
whom  we  have  now  received  the  atonement.' 
The  sun  brightens  and  warms  all  who  look 
upon  it,  though  they  come  from  cold,  foul 
caverns.  And  Christ  is  a  Sun.  He  gives 
grace  and  glory  to  the  most  miserable  of  sin- 
ners and  His  bitterest  enemies,  if  they  look  to 
Him  in  faith.^  If  the  bruised  and  aching 
heart  be  brousjht  within  the  shining  of  the 
Cross,  its  beams  will  glide  into  it,  and  fill  it 
with  secret  refreshments.  There  is  comfort  in 
resolving  to  flee  to  Christ,  comfort  in  fleeing, 
comfort  in  falling  at  His  feet.  I  trow  Barti- 
meus  was  never  so  truly  happy  before,  and 
yet  he  is  still  a  beggar,  lying  in  unrelieved 
blindness  in  the  dust  at  the  feet  of  Jesus  of 
Nazareth. 

The  feet  of  Jesus !     There  the  sinner  finds 

'  Rom.,  viL  T-13.  2  Rom.,  v.  11. 

'  Ps-lxxxiv.  11,  with  ilal.,  iv.  2. 


BLIND  BARTIMEUS.  183 

all  that  the  needs  of  his  own  soul,  all  that  the 
demauds  of  the  Law,  all  that  the  Perfections 
of  God  require.  There  he  sees  the  Antitype  of 
all  the  types,  the  Substance  of  all  the  shadows, 
the  Fulfilment  of  all  the  promises.  There  his 
guilt  is  pardoned,  his  foulness  cleansed,  his 
person  accepted.  For  there  is  at  once  the 
Priest  and  the  Sacrifice,  the  blood  of  sprink- 
ling and  the  way  into  the  Holiest  of  all.' 
There  is  the  true  Mercy-seat  and  the  She- 
kinah, — the  visible  glory  of  the  Divine  pre- 
sence between  the  cherubim.^  There  God  is 
manifest  in  the_^e67i.' 

At  the  feet  of  Jesus  none  need  be  afraid. 
This  beggar  drew  "  near."  In  Him  we  have 
boldness  and  access  with  confidence  through 
the  faith  of  Him.^  It  is  impossible  to  press 
too  near  to  Christ.  In  the  Song  the  Spouse  is 
seen  coming  up  from  the  wilderness  leaning 
upon  her  Beloved.^  Like  John  at  the  Supper 
we  may  rest  upon  His  very  breast.^  The  good 
Shepherd  loves  to  see  His  sheep  lying  neai 

'  Heb.,  ix.  11-14;  x.  19-22  ^  Ex.,  xxv.  22. 

3  1  Tim.,  iii.  16.  *  Epb.,  iiL  12. 

*  Song,  viil  5.  ^  John,  xiii.  23. 


184  BLIND  BARTIMEUS. 

His  feet,  and  when  the  lambs  are  weary  He 
carries  them  in  His  bosom.' 

In  the  days  of  His  flesh  His  invitation  was 
evermore,  Come  unto  me !°  The  exiled  leper 
heard,  and  burst  through  all  to  come  into  His 
presence  and  fall  at  His  feet.'  The  multitudes 
heard,  and  again  and  again  did  they  "throng" 
Him,  "  press"  upon  Him/ 

But  so  far  was  He  from  being  offended,  that, 
though  they  were  poor  and  covered  with  dis- 
ease, loathsome  to  sight  and  touch,  He  healed 
them  all.^  Publicans  and  sinners  heard,  and 
even  while  He  and  His  disciples  sat  at 
meat,  they  came  and  sat  with  them.'  So 
freely  did  He  receive  them  and  mingle  with 
them,  that  He  was  sneeringly  called.  The 
Friend  of  publicans  and  sinners.''  They  meant 
it  for  shame,  but  He  took  it  for  glory.  The 
ruined  outcast  heard — ah !  who  can  ever  forget 
that  tender  scene  of  grace,  in  which  He  so 
vindicates  and  blesses  the  polluted  woman, 
who,  in  the  bitterness  of  her  contrition,  came 
unbidden  to  the  feast  of  the  haughty  Pharisee, 

'  Is.,  xl.  11.  2  Mat,  xi.  28  ;  Mark,  x.  14  ;  John,  vu.  37 

3  Luke,  V.  12.  ■*  Luke,  viii.  19,  45: 

»  Mat,  xii.  19.  «  Mat.,  ix  10,  11,         7  Mat.,  xi.  19. 


BLIND   BARTIMEUS.  186 

and  regardless  of  surprise  and  contempt,  began 
to  wash  His  feet  with  her  tears,  and  did  wipe 
them  with  the  hairs  of  her  head,  and  kissed 
His  feet,  and  anointed  them  with  the  ointment 
of  her  broken  alabaster  box!'  And  who  can 
cease  to  remember,  with  grateful  amazement, 
those  words  by  which  the  vilest  may  draw 
near  to  His  heart ;  Whosoever  shall  do  the 
will  of  God,  the  same  is  my  brother,  and  my 
sister  and  mother.* 

But  do  you  say,  Christ  is  no  longer  on 
earth,  and  we  cannot  go  to  Him  thus  ? 

He  has  indeed  passed  into  the  heavens,  and 
they  have  received  Him  until  the  times  of  the 
restitution  of  all  things.^  But  His  tender 
heart  went  with  Him.  He  hath  an  unchange- 
able Priesthood,  and  He  is  the  same  yesterday, 
to-day  and  for  ever,  still  a  merciful  and  faith- 
ful High-Priest,  still  touched  with  feeling  for 
our  infirmities,*  When  of  old  the  children  of 
Israel  watched  the  high -priest  on  the  Day  of 
Atonement,  did  their  comfort  die  when  he 
disappeared  behind  the  veil  ?     Did  they  not 

'  Luke,  vii.  36-50.        =  Mark,  iii.  35.         3  Acts,  iii.  21. 
*  Heb.,  vii.  24  ;  xiii.  8  ;   ii.  17  ;  iv.  15. 


186  BLIND    BARTIMEUS. 

remember  with  joy  that  he  was  there  com- 
pleting his  great  work  of  propitiation  for 
their  sins  ?  that  their  names  were  graven  on 
the  breast-plate  which  he  wore  on  his  heart  ? 
and  that  while  he  stood  before  the  blood- 
sprinkled  mercy -seat,  in  the  presence  of  that 
awful  glory,  covered  but  not  stricken  by  it, 
he  stood  as  the  Eepresentative  of  a  freely  jus- 
tified people?'  Even  so  Christ  has  entered 
into  heaven  itself,  the  true  Holy  of  holies,  now 
to  appear  in  the  presence  of  God  for  us." 
Wherefore  He  is  able  to  save  them  to  the 
uttermost  that  come  to  God  by  Him,  seeing 
He  ever  liveth  to  make  intercession  for  them.^ 
Years  after  He  had  taken  His  seat  on  His 
Throne,  when  He  was  closing  the  Canon  of 
Scripture,  when  all  seemed  finished  and  ready 
for  the  final  seal  of  God's  dreadful  malediction 
against  him  who  should  add  to  the  words  of 
the  Holy  Ghost,  or  take  from  them,^  He 
stretched  forth  His  hand  and  held  back  the 
curse  until  one  more  invitation,  full,  blessed, 
universal,  poured  from  His  heart.     The  Spirit 

'  Lev.,  xvi.  *  Heb.,  ix.  24.  3  Heb.,  viL  25. 

*  Rev.,  xxii.  18,  19. 


BLIND   BARTIMEUS.  187 

and  tLe  Bride  say.  Come.  And  let  him  that 
heareth  say,  Come.  And  let  him  that  is  athirst 
come.  And  whosoever  will,  let  him  take  the 
water  of  life  freely.' 

"  And  when  he  was  come  near,  Jesus  an- 
swered." Bartimeus  now,  for  the  first  time, 
receives  the  word  immediately  from  the  lips 
of  his  Lord.  He  is  at  the  Well-head  of  life, 
and  as  he  stoops  to  drink,  the  stream  gushes 
toward  him. 

It  is  always  so.  If  we  would  commune 
with  Christ,  we  must  draw  near  to  Him.  If 
we  would  hear  His  voice,  we  must  fall  down 
before  Him.  It  is  only  there  that  heaven  and 
earth  may  meet  in  peace.  Christ  is  the  true 
Tabernacle  of  the  Congregation,'  or,  as  that 
Old  Testament  expression  may  be  more  lit- 
erally and  instructively  rendered.  The  Taber- 
nacle of  Meeting, — the  divinely  appointed 
Meeting-place  ;  first  and  chiefly  where  God 
would  meet  His  people,  and  they  should  meet 
Him,  and  so  meet  one  another.  Coming  from 
all  the  vast  circumference  of  Israel,  there  they 
met  and  found  themselves  one,  at  that  holy 

■  Rev.,  xxii  17.  *  Ex.,  xxxiii.  7. 


188  BLIND   BARTIMEU3. 

centre,  bright  with  the  visible  glory  of  the 
Godhead  and  the  clear  types  of  atoning 
grace. 

Calvary  is  a  little  hill  to  the  eye,  but  it  is 
the  only  spot  on  earth  that  touches  heaven. 
The  Cross  is  foolishness  to  human  reason,  and 
a  stumbling-block  to  human  righteousness ;' 
but  there  only  do  Mercy  and  Truth  meet  to- 
gether, and  Righteousness  and  Peace  kiss  each 
other.^  Jesus  Christ  was  a  man  of  low  con- 
dition, and  died  a  death  of  shame  on  an  ac- 
cursed tree;  but  there  is  salvation  in  no 
other.  ^  There  is  no  Mercy -seat  in  the  uni- 
verse but  at  His  feet. 

But,  lying  there,  we  shall  not  only  be  ac- 
cepted, but  shall  not  lack  some  gracious  word 
from  His  lips.  There  the  broken  heart  shall 
hear  its  best  music — a  still  small  voice,*  it 
may  be,  but  God  will  be  in  the  voice,  and  the 
contrite  spirit  shall  be  revived.® 

"What  wilt  thou  that  I  should  do  unto 
thee  ?"  A  goodly  word,  indeed  1  What  would 
not  a  soul,  struggling  in  the  depths  and  en- 

ilCor.,  i.  23.  2  Ps.  ixxxv.  10.        '  Acts,  iv.  11,  12. 

*  1  Kings,  xix.  12.        ^  Is.,  Ivii.  15. 


BLIND  BARTIMEUS.  189 

tanglements  of  sin,  give  once  to  hear  it  from 
his  Lord  ?     Let  us  admire, 

I.  The  fulness  of  the  grace.  The  tender 
love  of  Christ  to  lost  souls  is  a  great  deep, 
without  bottom  and  without  shore.  The  wing 
of  no  angel  can  bear  him  so  high  that  he  can 
look  over  all  its  extent.  The  guilt  of  no  sin- 
ner has  been  able  to  sound  all  its  depth.  The 
countless  multitudes,  who  have  been  washed 
in  its  waters,  have  not  diminished  its  abund- 
ance nor  impaired  its  virtue. 

King  Ahasuerus  said  unto  Queen  Esther 
at  the  banquet  of  wine.  What  is  thy  petition  ? 
and  it  shall  be  granted  thee ;  and  what  is  th  v 
request?  even  to  the  half  of  my  kingdom  shall 
it  be  performed.^  And  so  the  monarchs  of  the 
East  delighted  to  speak.  But  their  utmost 
promise  was  lialflhQ  kingdom,  and  their  king- 
doms were  earthlj*,  bounded  and  unsubstantial, 
and  their  pompous  generosity  often  but  the 
flourishing  rhetoric  of  lust,  pride  and  wine. 

But  Jesus  puts  no  limit  to  His  offers.  Ask, 
it  shall  be  given  you.  Ask,  and  ye  shall  re- 
ceive, that  your  joy  may  be  full.    Whatsoever 

"  Esther,  v.  6, 


190  BLIND   BAETIMEUS. 

je  shall  ask  in  my  name,  that  will  I  do.*  In 
Him  are  hid  all  the  treasures  of  wisdom 
and  knowledge.''  All  power  is  given  unto 
Him  in  heaven  and  in  earth.'  He  is  the  head 
of  all  power, ^  All  things  were  created  by 
Him  and  for  Him.^  In  Him  dwelleth  all  the 
fulness  of  the  Godhead  bodily.*  His  word 
can  open  heaven  to  the  vilest  sinner :  yea,  His 
smile  can  make  a  heaven  in  the  saddest  heart. 
A  crust  from  Him  is  a  feast,  and  the  feast 
which  He  shall  spread  in  heaven  for  His  saints 
shall  banquet  the  soul  through  Eternity.  He 
is  Heir  of  all  things,''  and,  at  the  believing  call 
of  the  meanest  beggar,  He  will  make  that  beg- 
gar a  joint-heir  with  Him/  to  an  inheritance 
incorruptible,  undefiled,  and  that  fadeth  not 
away' — an  exceeding  and  eternal  weight  of 
glory.'"  When  we  are  Christ's  Christ  is  ours ; 
and  then  all  things  are  ours — apostles,  Scrip- 
tures, dispensations,  ordinances,  life  and  death, 
this  world  and  the  next,  things  present  and 

'  Mat.,  vii.  7 ;  John,  xvi.  24;  xiv.  13.  ^  Col.,  ii.  3. 

'  Mat.,  xsviii.  18.     ^  Col.,  ii.  10.  '  Col.,  1 16. 

«  Col.,  ii.  9.  ''  Heb.,  i.  2.  «  Rora.,  viii.  1 1. 

»  1  Pet,  i.  4.  '"  2  Cor.  iv.  It. 


BLIND  BARTIMEUS.  191 

things  to  come ;  all  are  ours.'  Well  might 
the  Apostle  count  all  things  loss  for  Christ/ 
Such  loss  is  infinite  gain.  With  the  Lord 
Jesus  Christ,  afflictions  are  blessings,  shame 
is  honor,  sickness  is  health,  and  death  is  life 
for  evermore ;  out  of  weakness  we  are  made 
strong,'  in  solitude  we  have  the  best  compa- 
ny ;  our  poverty  turns  to  the  true  riches,  our 
crosses,  to  the  sweetest  comforts ;  nature  gives 
way  to  grace,  and  grace  issues  in  eternal  glory. 

II.  Let  us  also  admire  the  freeness  of  Christ's 
offers  to  lost  sinners.  The  freeness  of  the 
offer  springs  from  the  fulness  of  the  grace. 
"  What  wilt  thou  ?"  Choose  for  thyself,  Bar- 
timeus.  If  thou  dost  not  carry  away  a  noble 
gift,  it  is  thine  own  fault.  I  do  not  set  bounds 
to  thy  desires.  The  treasure  is  infinite,  and 
thou  hast  it  all  to  choose  from. 

The  Spirit  of  the  Lord  is  not  straitened, 
and  if  we  are,  it  is  in  ourselves.'  The  Lord's 
hand  is  not  shortened,  neither  is  His  ear  heavy; 
but  our  iniquities* — ah,  there  is  the  trouble ! 
And  no  sin  hides  God's  face  sooner,  or  behind 

'  1  Cor.,  iii.  21-23.  "  Phil,  iii.  1.  3  Heb.,  xi.  34. 

Mic,  ii.  7  ;  2  Cor.,  vi.  12.  *  Is.,  lix.  1,  2. 


192  BLIND   BARTIMEUS. 

a  darker  cloud,  than  our  unbelief.  God's 
grace  is  always  larger  than  man's  desire,  aad 
freer  than  his  faith."  We  continually  need 
His  exhortation  to  Israel,  Open  thy  mouth 
wide  and  I  will  fill  it."  One  prayer  should  be 
ever  on  our  lips,  Lord,  increase  our  faith  V  If 
this  day  our  fleece  is  drj^,  it  is  not  because 
there  is  no  dew  in  heaven,  nor  because  none 
fell  last  night.^  If  we  take  little  pitchers  to 
the  well,  we  shall  carry  little  water  away. 
Though  the  golden  bowl  be  full  of  golden 
oil,  the  lamp  will  burn  dim,  if  the  golden 
pipe  be  narrow  or  choked.^  The  ocean  itself 
can  pour  but  a  scanty  stream  through  a  slen- 
der channel.  And  when  sinners  cry,  I  have 
no  grace,  it  is  because  unbelief  has  shut  up 
their  bosoms.  Or  when  the  people  of  God 
cry.  My  leanness  I  my  leanness  !*  it  is  because 
their  narrow  faith  suffers  them  only  to  taste 
where  they  might  drink  ^ — only  to  snatch 
crumbs  with  the  dogs,  while  they  might  sit 
down  with  the  children  at  the  table,  and  feast 
on  all  the  savory  things  with  which  Christ 
spreads  His  board. 

'  Eph.,  iii.  20.  =  Ps.  Ixxxi.  10.  '  Luke,  xvii.  5. 

^  Judge."?,  vi.  40.        °  Zech.,  iv.  2,  12.        ^  Is.^  xxiv,  16. 


BLIND    BAETIMEUS.  193 

"Whosoever"  aud  "whatsoever"  are  two 
precious  words  often  in  the  mouth  of  Christ. 
Whosoever  will  may  come.^  Whatsoever  ye 
shall  ask  in  my  name,  that  will  I  do.^  "  Who- 
soever" is  on  the  outside  of  the  gate,  and 
lets  in  all  who  choose.  "Whatsoever"  is  on 
the  inside,  and  gives  those  who  enter  the  free 
range  of  all  the  region  and  treasury  of  grace. 
"Whosoever"  makes  salvation  free,  "Whatso- 
ever" makes  it  full. 

III.  See  how  Christ's  grace  condescends  to 
every  soul's  peculiar  need.  He  will  suit  His 
granting  to  our  asking.  To  every  soul  He 
says,  "  What  wilt  thou  P 

It  is  marvellous  and  beautiful  to  observe 
how  various  are  the  voices  of  free  grace.  "  I 
am  thirsty,"  says  one.  "  Come  to  the  waters," 
she  cries.'  "  I  am  hungry,"  says  another. 
"  Then  eat  ye  that  which  is  good,"  she  says, 
"  and  let  your  soul  delight  itself  in  fatness."^ 
"But  I  am  poor,  and  have  nothing  to  buy 
with."  "Come,  buy  wine  and  milk  without 
money,  and  without  price.'"  "  We  are  weary," 

'  Eev.,  sxii.  17  ;  John,  vii.  37.  '  John,  xiv.  13. 

Ms.,  Iv.  1.  Us.,  Iv.  2.  5Is.,  Iv.  1. 

17 


194  BLIND   BAETIMEUS. 

sigli  the  laborers  in  the  sun-beaten  fields. 
"Come  unto  me,"  breathes  her  answer  like  a 
breeze  from  the  waters,  "  and  I  will  give  you 
rest.'"  "  Oast  thj  burden  on  the  Lord  and  He 
will  sustain  thee,"*  she  whispers  to  the  pilgrim 
ready  to  faint  on  the  highway,  "  Behold  the 
Fountain,"  she  cries  to  the  guilty,  "  the  Foun- 
tain opened  for  sin  and  uncleanness."'  To  the 
lost  she  cries,  "  I  am  the  Way ;"  to  the  igno- 
rant, "I  am  the  Truth;"  to  the  dying,  "I 
am  the  Life."*  How  large  her  welcome  to  the 
sinner,  how  soothing  her  consolations  to  the 
mourner,  how  inspiring  her  tones  to  him  that 
is  faint  of  heart !  '  There  is  no  disease  for 
which  she  has  not  a  remedy,  no  want  for 
which  she  has  not  a  supply ;  and  everyone 
who  applies  to  her  shall  confess  at  length,  "  It 
is  enough  ;  I  am  blessed  as  if  all  the  methods 
and  riches  of  grace  were  for  me  alone  !" 

TV.  This  question  teaches  that,  though  Christ 
knows  what  we  want  and  what  He  will  do,  He 
will  have  us  express  our  wants. 

Prayer  is  not  giving  information  to  God ; 

'  Mat,  xi.  28.  ^  Zech.,  xiii.  1 

==  Pa.  Iv.  22.  *  John,  xiv.  G. 


BLIND  BARTIMEUS.  195 

that  His  Omniscience  does  not  need  :*  nor  does 
it  change  Hjb  will ;  that  His  Immutability 
cannot  suflfer.*  It  does  not  awaken  His  grace, 
for  it  is  from  everlasting ;  nor  increase  it,  for 
it  is  infinite.  But  it  opens  a  way  for  grace  to 
flow  according  to  its  own  eternal  plan.  It  is 
faith's  answer  to  Christ's  question,  "  What  wilt 
thou?"  It  lives  only  as  grace  quickens  it,  and 
speaks  only  as  grace  teaches  it.  There  is  no 
true  prayer  till  God  pours  out  His  Holy  Spirit 
— the  Spirit  of  grace  and  supplications.'  He 
is  first  the  Spirit  of  grace,  imjjlanting  holy 
affections,  and  then  the  Spirit  of  supplications, 
turning  these  affections  into  earnest  desires, 
which  breathe  from  the  heart  in  prayer,  even 
as  the  same  Spirit  helpeth  our  infirmities.'' 

Through  all  the  cold,  dark  night  the  petals 
of  the  flower  were  shut.  So  the  sun  found  it, 
and  poured  his  rays  upon  it,  till  its  heart  felt 
the  warmth.  Then  it  yearned  to  be  filled 
with  these  pleasant  beams,  and  opened  its 
bosom  to  drink  them  in.  And  so  it  is  with 
man's  prayer  and  God's  grace. 

•  Mat.,  vi.  8.  '  Zecti.,  xii.  10. 

2  James,  LIT.  4  Rom.,  viii.  26. 


196  BLIND   BARTIMKUS. 

"  The  blind  man  said  unto  Him,  Lord,  that 
I  might  receive  my  sight !"  How  prompt  and 
to  the  point  is  this  answer !  Let  sinners  and 
saints  learn  from  it  to  distinguish  among  their 
"wants,  and  keep  their  greatest  needs  upper- 
most. Bartimeus  lacked  many  things,  and 
Christ's  question  has  given  him  a  wide  range, 
but  we  hear  only,  "  My  sight !  my  sight !" 

How  pointless  are  the  prayers  we  often  hear ! 
They  scatter  weakly  over  the  whole  ground. 
They  have  no  aim  and  do  no  execution.  It 
may  be  a  time  of  declension  or  revival,  a  day 
of  thanksgiving  or  fasting,  it  may  be  family 
worship  or  a  church-business  meeting — it 
matters  not ;  you  shall  hear  pretty  much  the 
same  prayer.  And  if  you  come  back  five 
years  after,  you  shall  find  the  good  man  still 
going  over  his  old  beat,  as  if  the  Church  and 
the  world  and  he  had  made  no  progress,  and 
suffered  no  change. 

If  we  would  pray  well,  we  must  have  some- 
thing to  pray  for — sometbing  we  really  crave. 
We  must  know  our  wants,  feel  our  wants,  ex- 
press our  wants.  We  must  have  "  an  errand 
at  the   Throne."     I  learned  that  expression 


BLIND   BARTIMEUS.  197 

from  a  -pious  old  slave.  He  was  asked  tLe 
secret  of  the  fervor  and  spirit  with  which 
he  always  prayed.  "  O,"  said  he,  "  I  always 
have  an  errand  at  the  Throne,  and  then  I  just 
tell  the  Lord  what  I  come  for,  and  wait  for  an 
answer."  Thus,  too,  shall  we  wait  for  an  an- 
swer. Suppose  Bartimeus,  after  kneeling  in 
the  dust,  and  raising  his  bitter  cry,  "  Lord, 
that  I  might  receive  my  sight,"  had  then 
turned  from  Christ  and  said,  "  Well,  I  have 
prayed ;  now  I  will  beg  a  little ;"  and  so,  ris- 
ing from  his  knees,  he  goes  begging  through 
the  whole  crowd.  Would  he  not  deserve  that 
the  insulted  Saviour  should  spurn  his  prayer, 
and  seal  his  blindness  to  him  for  ever  ?  But 
what  else  do  we,  when  after  the  false  fervors 
of  our  shallow  prayers,  we  dry  our  eyes,  and 
go  wandering  after  every  earthly  gain  and 
pleasure  ?  when  we  do  not  watch  for  an  an- 
swer and  wait  for  its  coming?  Even  the 
sportsman,  who  cares  not  for  his  game,  fol- 
lows the  arrow  with  his  eye,  till  he  sees  it 
strike.  But  how  many  never  cast  a  second 
glance  after  a  prayer  which  has  left  their  lips ! 
But  Bartimeus  did  not,  could  not,  turn 
17* 


198  BLIND   BARTIMEUS. 

away  from  Christ.  If  his  lips  do  not  still  cry, 
"My  sight!  my  sight!"  a  mightier  prayer 
than  lips  can  utter  is  going  forth  from  his 
heart.  You  may  see  it  in  the  wliole  attitude 
— the  clasped  hands,  the  out-stretched  neck, 
the  up-turned  face  in  a  very  agony  of  long- 
ing, the  panting  breast,  beaten  inwardly  by 
the  tumultuous  heart,  the  sightless  balls  "  roll- 
ing in  vain"  to  find  the  day,  and  straining 
toward  Jesus,  as  if  they  would  force  a  path- 
way for  light ! 

Not  long  "  in  vain,"  0  blind  man,  not  long  I 
The  morning  cometh.     The  Sun  is  about  to 
rise  upon  thee  with  healing  in  His  wings  1' 
»  Mai.,  iv.  2. 


VIII. 

"  So  Jesus  had  compassion,  and  touched  his  eyes,  and  said 
unto  him,  Receive  thy  sight :  go  thy  way  :  thy  faith  hath 
saved  thee." 

0  Jesus  had  compassion  ;"  surely  not 
then  for  the  first  time,  but  then  it 
was  more  manifest — its  proofs  were 
given.  There  was  fragrance  in  the 
alabaster  box  before  it  was  broken  by 
the  violence  of  love,  but  then  its  ointment 
poured  forth,  and  its  precious  odors  filled 
the  room/  Such  holy  violence  there  is  in 
prayer,  and  so  God's  treasured  blessings  are 
obtained.  Christ's  secret  pity  begets  our 
petitions,  which  then  His  open  compassion 
accepts  and  crowns.  Jesus  loved  Martha  and 
her  sister  and  Lazarus,  when  far  away;  but 
when  He  stood  at  the  grave  He  wept.''  And 
we  may  believe  that,  whenever  the  sad  fruits 
of  sin  were  thus  before  Him,  His  face  gave 

'  Mark,  xiv.  3.  "  John,  xi.  5,  35. 


200  BLIND   BARTIMEUS. 

token  of  His  heart.  Then  the  love,  which 
brought  Him  to  die  that  He  might  redeem, 
would  stir  more  mightily  within  His  soul,  and 
overflow  in  looks  and  words  and  deeds  of 
pity.  It  was  at  such  a  moment  that  Matthew 
was  moved  to  make  the  record,  "Jesus  had 
compassion." 

"  And  touched  his  eyes."  This  was  not  of 
necessity,  as  if  His  blessing  could  not  flow 
without  a  medium,  but  in  lowliness  and  kind- 
ness. 

He  could  have  healed  with  a  word  merely, 
or,  if  He  had  pleased,  without  a  word,  and  far 
off  as  well  as  near.  But  He  generally  chose 
some  outward  instrumentality.  He  put  clay 
on  the  eyes  of  the  man  blind  from  his  birth, 
and  sent  him  to  wash  in  the  pool  of  Siloam.' 
He  had  the  stone  taken  fi-om  the  sepulchre  of 
Lazarus  before  He  cried  "  Come  forth !""  He 
multiplied  the  loaves  and  fishes  already  at 
hand,  instead  of  astonishing  the  multitude  b}^ 
a  pure  creation.^ 

His  lowly  spirit  is  seen  in  this;  for  thus 
His  miracles  were  shorn  of  some  of  the  rays 

'  John,  ix.  6,  7.  "  John,  xi.  39.  "  John,  vi.  11 


BLIND  BARTIMEUS.  201 

most  dazzling  to  sense.  He  remembered  that 
though  He  was  the  Fellow  of  Jehovah,'  He 
had  now  become  His  Servant,  and  He  dealt 
prudently.'^  Though  He  was  over  all,  God 
blessed  for  ever,  He  was  now  manifest  in  the 
flesh/  and,  as  became  Him,*  He  veiled  His 
uncreated  splendor,  and  modestly  wrought  His 
glorious  works. 

But  while  there  was  the  hiding  of  His 
power*  from  the  multitude,  He  the  more  re- 
vealed His  kindness  to  His  patients.  When 
the  leper  found  that  Christ  dreaded  no  pollu- 
tion, even  ceremonial,  from  his  touch  ;«  when 
the  deaf  man,  who  could  not  hear  His  words, 
felt  His  fingers  in  his  ears ;  *  when  the  poor 
woman,  whom  Satan  had  kept  so  cruelly  bent 
for  eighteen  years,  felt  the  hands  of  One 
mightier  than  the  old  Tyrant,  laid  lovingly 
upon  her ; ''  doubtless  their  very  flesh  thrilled 
at  the  touch,  and  their  faith  was  made  strong 
to  believe  all  that  He  had  promised. 

Who  does  not  envy  Bartimeus  that  gentle 

'  Zech.,  xiii.  7.      ^  Is.,  lii.  13.      3  Rom.,  ix.  5;  1  Tim.,  iil  16. 
*  Hab.,  iiL  4.         ^  Mark,  i.  41.    «  Mark,  vii.  33. 
'  Luke,  xiiL  13,  16. 


202  BLIND  BARTIMEUS. 

resting  of  tlie  fingers  of  Jesus  on  his  eyes  ? 
Eather  let  us  strive  to  feel  His  blessed  Spirit 
in  our  hearts,  and  we  shall  taste  a  sweetness 
which  will  leave  no  room  for  envj. 

*'  And  said,  Receive  thy  sight."  An  echo 
from  within  the  Yeil !  "  Lord",  that  I  might 
receive  mj  sight  1"  cried  the  suppliant  with- 
out. "Receive  thy  sight!"  answers  the  Sov- 
ereign within.  Weak  and  tremulous,  with 
its  burden  of  anguish,  is  the  voice  from  the 
dust.  Clear  and  joyous,  -with  power  and 
blessing,  is  the  Voice  from  the  Throne.  I 
call  that  goodly  music,  O  friends !  The 
Eternal  Spirit  is  its  Author.  He  searcheth 
all  things,  even  the  deep  things  of  God,'  and 
finding  there  what  the  Father  designs  to  give, 
He  teaches  us  to  desire  and  ask  accordingly. 
His  intercession  within  us  is  "  according  to 
God/'  says  the  Apostle;  that  is,  "according 
to  the  will  of  God,"  rightly  supply  the  trans- 
lators.^ And  so,  if  Christ  suits  His  granting 
to  our  asking,  it  is  because  the  Spirit  has  first 
shaped  our  asking  to  His  granting.  The  pur- 
pose of  grace  is  the  foundation  of  the  prayer 

'  1  Cor.,  ii.  10.  «  Rom.,  viii.  27. 


BLIND  BARTIMEUS.  203 

of  faith.  Eternal  Grace  is  the  mould  into 
which  faith  is  cast.  Therefore  there  is  har- 
mony between  faith  and  grace.  "  Grace  crowns 
what  grace  begins." 

Oh,  to  hear  more  of  that  music!  If  all 
sinners  and  all  saints  would  thus  cry  together 
to  heaven,  our  earth  would  hear  such  voices 
ringing  in  the  air  above  it,  as  if  the  heavenly 
host  had  again  come  down,  harping  and  prais- 
ing with  the  notes  of  "  Peace,"  and  "  Glory," 
as  of  old  above  the  plains  of  Bethlehem,' 

"Go  thy  waj'."  There  is  but  one  word  in 
the  Greek  for  these  three.  It  is  a  mere  form- 
ula of  dismission  in  peace. 

"  Thy  faith  hath  saved  thee."  In  our  Eng- 
lish Bibles  we  read  this  expression  in  Luke, 
but  in  Mark,  '*  Thy  faith  hath  made  thee 
whole."  Both  answer,  however,  to  one  phrase 
in  the  original,  and  should  not  differ  in  the 
translation.  Yet  there  is  little  to  choose  be- 
tween them.  "  Save"  is  the  exact  rendering  of 
the  Greek  word,  but  "  making  whole"  is  one 
form  of  saving.  There  are  many  kinds  and 
degrees  of  salvation,  even  as  the  evils  vary 

'  Luke,  ii.  13,  14. 


204  BUND   BARTIMEUS. 

from  which  we  need  deliverance.  This  man's 
malady  was  physical,  and  he  was  saved  by  the 
healing  of  his  flesh.  If  this  was  all,  the  more 
general  word,  "save," would  here  take  its  spe- 
cial meaning,  "to  make  whole."  If,  however, 
he  was  also,  up  to  this  moment,  an  unpar- 
doned sinner,  he  needed  a  great  spiritual  de- 
liverance and  healing.  And  if  this,  too,  was 
granted  as  his  eyes  were  opened,  then  he  was 
"made  whole"  in  the  highest  sense,  saved 
wholly  and  for  ever  from  the  double  curse 
under  which  he  suffered. 

However  this  may  have  been,  it  is  enough 
for  us  that  his  salvation  was  by  his  faith.  God 
has  linked  faith  and  salvation  together  by 
more  than  "hooks  of  steel,"  even  by  His  un- 
changeable decree.  No  decrees  of  God  are 
more  certain  than  these ;  He  that  belie veth 
shall  he  saved,  and,  He  that  believeth  not 
shall  be  damned.'  He  that  believeth  is  passed 
already  from  death  to  life,"  while  he  that  be- 
lieveth not  is  condemned  already.'  The  mo- 
ment of  faith  is  the  moment  of  stepping  from 
the  region  of  the  curse  to  the  region  of  the 

«  Mark,  xvi.  16.  '  John,  v.  24.  '  John,  iii.  18. 


BLIND  BARTIMEUS.  205 

blessing.  The  region  of  unbelief  is  black 
with  God's  frown,  and  filled  with  plagues  and 
wrath  ;  but  the  region  of  faith  is  as  the  floor 
of  heaven  for  brightness.  Christ's  righteous- 
ness shelters  it,  the  graces  of  the  Spirit  beau- 
tify it,  and  the  eternal  smile  of  God  comforts 
and  glorifies  it.  These  regions  may  be  near 
together  and  touch  like  circles ;  and  while  a 
man  is  stepping  from  one  to  the  other,  he  may 
feel  both  joy  and  anguish  ; — Lord  I  believe ! — 
help  Thou  mine  unbelief!' 

Unbelief  is  a  devil.  He  was  born  in  hell 
and  reigns  there.  With  one  hand  he  ever  keeps 
his  hold  on  hell,  while  with  the  other  he  has 
seized  the  earth  and  wrenched  it  from  its 
sphere,  and  he  is  always  striving  to  drag  it 
down  into  his  own  blackness  and  ruin.  But 
the  hand  of  faith  takes  hold  of  heaven.  What 
wonder,  then,  that  our  poor  world  ever  trem- 
bles and  wavers  so,  in  the  struggle  of  these 
mighty  powers  ? 

And  thus  it  is  that  "faith  saves."  There 
was  nothing  in  this  blind  man's  soul  that 
could  open  his  eyes,  but  thro^igh  grace  there 

'  Mark,  ix.  21. 
IS 


206  BLIND    BARTIMEUS. 

was  something  in  him  that  could  take  hold  of 
Christ. 

And  so  "  faith  saves "  and  grace  saves  •/ 
faith  as  the  instrument,  and  grace  as  the  di- 
vine efficiency ;  faith  the  channel,  and  grace 
the  heavenly  stream :  faith  the  finger  that 
touches  the  garment's  fringe,  and  grace  the 
virtue  that  pours  from  the  Saviour's  heart.^ 
Faith  cannot  scale  the  dreadful  precipice  from 
which  nature  has  fallen,  but  it  can  lay  hold 
on  the  rope  which  grace  has  let  down  even 
into  its  hands  from  the  top,  and  which  it  will 
draw  up  again  with  all  the  burden  faith  can 
bind  to  it.  And  this  is  all  the  mystery  of 
faith's  saving.  Christ  reaches  down  from 
heaven,  and  faith  reaches  up  from  earth,  and 
each  hand  grasps  the  other ;  one  in  weakness, 
the  other  in  power.  Yea,  the  hand  of  faith  is 
often  but  a  poor,  benumbed  hand,  stretched 
out  in  anguish  from  the  dark  flood  where  the 
soul  is  sinking. 

Neither  faith  nor  grace  saves  alone;  grace 
will  not,  faith  cannot.  Therefore  is  salvation 
by  faith,  and  salvation  by  grace.     Yet  grace 

1  Eph..  ii.  5.  '  Luke,  viii,  44, 


BLIND   BARTIMEUS.  20'J 

has  the  highest  place.  When  brought  to- 
gether, grace  is  the  efficiency  and  faith  the 
medium  for  its  flow ;  saved,  says  Paul,  hy 
grace  through  faith.'  And  even  faith  is  of 
grace.  Salvation,  (or  the  promise  which  con- 
tains it,)  says  Paul  again,  is  of  faith,  that  it 
might  be  of  grace,  and  to  the  end,  he  argues, 
that  it  may  be  sure."*  That  all  may  be  sure, 
all  must  be  given.  Whatever  is  of  me  is 
uncertain ;  whatever  is  of  God  cannot  fail. 
Therefore  my  faith,  which  receives  salvation, 
is  not  left  to  be  my  wor\ ;  it  is  one  of  the 
fruits  of  the  operation  of  God.  Thus,  while 
there  must  be  faith,  there  will  be,  if  there  is 
grace.  And  so  it  turns  out,  after  all,  that 
salvation  is  all  of  grace.  Blessed  be  God  for 
that !  Of  myself  I  had  no  more  power  to  be- 
lieve than  to  love,  or  be  holy,  or  clothe  my- 
self with  righteousness  and  walk  into  heaven. 
For  my  carnal  mind  was  enmity  against  God. 
It  was  not  subject  to  the  law  of  God,  nor,  in- 
deed, could  it  be.3  But  God,  who  is  rich  iu 
mercy,  for  His  great  love  wherewith  He  loved 
us,  even  when  we  were  dead  in  sins,  hath 
quickened  us  together  with  Christ." 

'  Eph,,  ii.  8.     '  Eom.,  iv.  IG.     2  Rom.,  viii.  7.     *  Eph.,  ii.  4,  5- 


IX. 

•'  Immediately  lie  received  his  sight." 

ISr  these  words  we  reach  that  point  ia 
this  history  where  all  its  lines  of  inter- 
est meet — that  wonderful  moment  when 
fthe  power  of  Jesus  wrought  miracu- 
lously on  the  ,.eyes  of  Bartimeus,  and  he . 
was  blind  no  more. 

How  much  was  crowded  into  that  moment ! 
The  accomplished  purpose  of  loving-kindness, 
and  the  answered  prayer  of  misery  ;  the  true 
Light  shining,  and  the  darkness  not  failing, 
now,  to  comprehend  it ;'  the  Saviour's  power 
and  grace  victorious,  and  the  helpless  sinner 
the  subject  of  a  change  so  immediate,  so  amaz- 
ing and  so  blessed,  that  from  this  moment  he 
rejoiced  to  •  be  bound  in  the  free  captivity  of 
Jesus ;  while  so  clear  was  the  shining  of  Deity 
in  all  that  was  done,  that  not  only  was  the 
Son  of  Man  glorified  thereby,  but  the  beams 

'  John,  i.  5. 


BLIND    BARTIMEUS,  209 

shot  far  up  and  rested  on  the  invisible  Throne. 
For  "  Bartimeus  followed  Jesus  in  the  way, 
glorifying  God,  and  all  the  people,  when  they 
saw  it,  gave  praise  unto  God." 

Nor  shall  we,  I  trust,  be  able  to  refrain 
from  "  glorifying"  with  Bartimeus,  and  "prais- 
ing" with  the  multitude;  saying,  Surely  this 
is  fruit  worthy  of  the  Tree  of  Life,  on  whose 
boughs  it  shall  for  ever  hang,  mirrored  by  the 
River  of  God  and  admired  by  all  who  sing  of 
the  work  and  death  of  Jesus. 

Oh,  for  a  breath  upon  my  soul  from  that 
eternal  shore,  that  I  may  not  utterly  fail  in 
speaking  of  this  gracious  mystery ! 

I.  What,  then,  does  this  healing  stand  for 
in  the  higher,  spiritual  world  ? 

Surely,  nothing  less  than  Regeneration — 
the  new  birth  of  the  soul.  Of  the  many 
images  employed  by  the  Holy  Ghost,  to  set 
forth  our  natural  state,  perhaps  none  is  more 
frequent  than  blindness.  Darkness  is  ever  the 
chosen  symbol  of  the  kingdom  of  Satan,  and 
light  of  the  Kingdom  of  God.  Darkness, 
corruption  and  death  are  used  interchange- 
ably; and  so  are  light,  purity  and  life.     Satan 


210  BLIND   BARTIMEUS. 

is  the  Prince  of  Darkness,  liis  dwelling  is 
under  darkness/  his  power  is  to  blind  all  who 
follow  him,^  and  thej  too  are  at  last  cast  into 
outer  darkness,  3  a  land  of  darkness,  as  dark- 
ness itself,  where  even  the  light  is  as  dark- 
ness.* But  God  is  light,  and  in  Him  is  no 
darkness  at  all.''  He  is  the  Father  of  lights. 
He  dwelleth  in  the  light  whicli  no  naan  can 
approach  uiito.'  His  children  are  children  of 
light.'  They  walk  in  the  light,  even  as  He  is 
the  light/  and  are  themselves  light  in  the  Lord.* 
Christ's  mission,  therefore,  is  often  set  forth  as 
an  opening  of  the  eyes  of  the  blind.'*  He 
came  that  they  which  see  not,  might  see." 

Most  naturally  therefore  is  the  new  birth 
described  as  a  transition  from  darkness  to 
light,  'i  translation  from  the  kingdom  of  Satan 
to  the  Kingdom  of  God's  dear  Son.'"  Thus 
Paul  sets  the  natural  and  gracious  states  of 
the  Ephesians  in  vivid  contrast;  Ye  were 
some  time  darkness,  but  now  are  ye  light  in 

'  Jude,  6.  2  2  Cor.,  iv.  4.  s  Mat.,  xxii.  13. 

*  Job,  X.  22.  s  1  John,  i.  5.  «  1  Tim.,  vi.  16. 

'  1  Thes.,  V.  5.  8  1  John,  i.  7.  »  P]ph.,  v.  8. 

'» Is.,  xUi.  7.  "  John,  ix.  39.  '■'  Col.,  i.  13. 


BLIND   BARTIMEUS.  211 

the  Lord.'  Thus,  too,  Christ  connects  the 
symbol  with  its  reality,  in  sending  Paul  to 
the  Gentiles,  to  open  their  eyes,  and  turn 
them  from  darkness  to  light,  and  from  the 
power  of  Satan  unto  God.* 

The  suitableness  of  these  symbols  needs  no 
vindication.  Every  heart  feels  their  fitness. 
They  have  gone  into  all  languages  and  all 
mythologies.  I  have  forgotten  whose  thought 
it  is,  that  no  man  ever  set  forth  purity  or 
blessedness,  truth,  glory  or  God,  under  the 
image  of  darkness,  nor  could  light  ever  have 
seemed  the  fit  image  of  evil  or  death. 

By  Christ's  constant  miracles  of  healing  the 
blind,  and  by  the  constant  use  of  them  in  set- 
ting forth  tbe  mystery  of  regeneration,  the 
Holy  Ghost  teaches  us  three  important  lessons. 

1.  That  the  new  birtb  is  from  God.  If 
the  harp  be  broken,  the  hand  of  the  maker 
may  repair  it,  and  wake  the  chords  again  to 
their  old  power  and  sweetness.  There  is  hope 
of  a  tree,  if  it  be  cut  down,  that  it  will  sprout 
again,  and  that  the  tender  branch  thereof  will 
not  cease.     Though  the  root  thereof  wax  old 

»  Eph.,  V.  8.  •■'  Acts,  xxvi.  18 


212  BLIND   RARTIMEDS, 

in  the  eartli,  and  the  stock  thereof  die  in  the 
ground,  yet  through  the  scent  of  water  it  •will 
bud  and  bring  forth  boughs  like  a  plant/ 

But  who  can  restore  the  shattered  crystal, 
so  that  the  sunbeams  shall  stream  through  it 
without  finding  a  flaw,  and  flash,  once  more, 
as  of  old,  in  the  ever-chauging  play  of  their 
splendor  ? 

And  who  can  open  the  eyes  of  the  blind  ? 
Who  can  restore  to  that  most  lustrous  and  pre- 
cious of  gems,  its  expression  and  power,  when 
distorted  and  blotted  by  disease  or  violence  ? 
Who  shall  open  again  those  delicate  pathways 
for  the  light  of  two  worlds — the  outer  world 
shining  in  and  filling  the  soul  with  images  of 
beauty,  and  that  inner  world  shining  out  in 
joy,  love  and  thankfulness  ?  Surely  none  but 
the  Maker  of  this  curious  frame,  who,  when 
sin  had  so  cruelly  marred  it,  came  in  compas- 
sion as  infinite  as  His  might,  to  be  Eedeemer 
and  Eestorer  where  He  had  already  been 
Creator.  Only  He  can  open  the  eyes  of  the 
blind.     The  power  of  God  is  in  that  work. 

But  if  a  man  die  shall  he  live  again  V     Oh, 

•  Job,  xiv.  7-9.  2  Job,  xiv.  14. 


BLIND  BARTIMEUS.  213 

if  the  soul  be  dead,  dead  in  guilt  and  corrup- 
tion and  tlie  curse  of  Almighty  God,  can  it 
revive  ?  Yes,  thanks  be  to  God,  by  reason  of 
the  working  of  His  mighty  power,  which  He 
wrought  in  Christ,  when  He  raised  Him  from 
the  dead,'  (after  He  had  been  delivered  for  our 
offences,^)  we,  also,  may  be  quickened,  who 
were  dead  in  tresspasses  and  sins,  and  children 
of  wrath ;  we  may  be  quickened  together  with 
Christ ;  for  we  are  His  workmanship,  created 
in  Christ  Jesus  unto  good  works.' 

Then  let  men  beware  how  they  disparage 
God's  glory  in  the  regeneration  of  human 
souls.  If  it  was  blasphemy  without  forgive- 
ness to  ascribe  the  miracles  of  Jesus  to  the 
working  of  Satan,*  their  sin  is  not  easily  mea- 
sured, who  ascribe  this  higher  work  on  man's 
ruined  soul,  of  which  those  bodily  cures  were 
but  types,  to  any  power  but  that  of  God.  Not 
by  eloquence,  not  by  ordinances,  not  by  the 
soul's  own  resolution,  not  by  God's  holy  truth 
itself,  without  the  added  and  immediate  power 


I  Eph.,  i.  19,  20.  3  Eph.,  iL  1,  3,  5,  10. 

«  Rom.,  iv.  25.  4  Mai-k,  iii.  22-30. 


214  BLIND   BARTIMEUS. 

of  the  Holy  Ghost,  is  the  soul  born  again. 
To  Him  then  be  the  undivided  glory  ! 

2.  In  the  light  of  this  miracle  we  also  learn 
that,  whatever  activities  the  sinner  may  put 
forth  before  and  after  his  regeneration,  in  the 
great  change  he  is  passive.  Under  the  mov- 
ing of  the  Spirit,  he  may,  like  Bartimeus,  cry 
for  the  blessing  before  it  comes  ;  like  him  he 
may  rejoice  when  it  does  come,  and  be  ever 
after  constrained  to  a  grateful  holiness  ;  but  in 
effecting  the  change,  like  Bartimeus,  he  does, 
simply,  nothing. 

All  the  agonies  of  the  blind  man,  all  his 
tears  and  cries,  all  his  rolling  and  straining 
his  sightless  balls,  had  just  nothing  at  all  to 
do  with  the  act  of  restoration.  That  was 
Christ's  alone.  Only  His  activity  availed  or 
even  entered  there.  The  blind  man  was  the 
passive  recipient  of  the  miraculous  power. 

And  so  in  the  new  birth  ; — "  born  of  God," ' 
tells  it  all.  It  is  the  '.'  unparticipated  work"' 
of  the  Holy  Ghost. 

In  this,  regeneration  is  distinguished  from 
conversion.  God  turns  the  man,  but  the  man, 
>  John,  i.  13.  2  Professor  Butler. 


BLIND  BARTIMEUS.  215 

SO  moved,  turns  with  his  whole  heart.  It  is 
the  day  of  God's  great  "  power,"  but  also  of 
the  sinner's  great  "  willingness."  *  "  Conver- 
sion," says  Fisher,  in  his  Catechism,  "is  the 
spiritual  motion  of  the  whole  man  toward  God 
in  Christ,  as  the  immediate  effect  of  the  real 
and  supernatural  change  that  is  wrought  in 
regeneration."  The  fire  which  the  sun  has 
kindled  mounts  toward  it  at  once.  The  kin- 
dling of  the  heavenly  flame  is  regeneration  ; 
its  upward  motion,  conversion.  Regeneration 
is  the  divine  cause,  conversion  the  sure  effect. 
Where  there  is  the  grace  of  life,  there  will  be 
a  life  of  grace. 

3.  Light  did  not  open  Bartimeus's  eyes,  nor 
does  truth  alone  regenerate  the  sinner.  Pour- 
ing light  on  blind  eyes  will  not  heal  them. 
Flashing  truth,  even  God's  glorious  truth,  on 
the  sinner's  mind  will  not  regenerate  him. 
Bartimeus  was  as  blind  at  noon  as  at  mid- 
night. The  sinner  is  as  blind  under  the  blaze 
of  the  gospel,  as  amid  the  glooms  of  heathen- 
ism. The  sinner  hates  the  light.  It  is  not  a 
question  of  less  or  more  with   him,  he  hates 

'  Psaim  ex.  3. 


216  BLIND  BARTIMEUS. 

the  very  element.  He  hates  God,  and  God  is 
light.  Truth  is  but  the  image  of  God,  and  is 
hated  where  He  is  hated.  The  carnal  mind 
is  enmity  against  God,  say  the  Scriptures.' 
Then  follows  by  necessity  the  declaration, 
that  it  is  not  subject  to  the  law  of  God,  neither 
indeed  can  be.  How  strong  the  statements ! 
How  dreadful  their  connection!  Absolute 
enmity  against  God,  and  necessary  insubor- 
dination to  His  truth  1  Therefore  before  God 
or  His  holy  law  can  be  loved,  the  carnality  of 
the  soul  must  be  destroyed,  and  that  is  the 
work  of  the  Holy  Ghost  alone.  Whatever 
part  the  truth  may  play,  it  cannot  create. 
Only  God  does  that. 

n.  Let  me  now  speak  of  the  greatness  and 
glory  of  this  change.  I  again  speak  simply 
of  the  bodily  change  wrought  by  the  miracle 
in  Bartimeus. 

The  bursting  forth  again  of  the  sun  from 
the  clouds  after  many  days  of  storm  is  as 
nothing  to  it,  though  a  hundred  landscapes 
are  flooded  with  the  splendor,  and  birds  break 
out  in  song,  and  innumerable  hearts  leap  ujj 
'  Rom.,  viiL  7 


BLIND  BARTIMEUS.  217 

to  hail  the  clear  heavens.  Our  thoughts  rather 
go  back  to  the  day  when  God  said,  Let  there 
be  light/  and  at  once  disclosed,  to  the  gaze  of 
the  jubilant  angels,  a  new  world  glowing  with 
His  unshadowed  smile.  This  is  the  truer 
comparison.  For  here^  too,  in  the  breast  of 
this  suffering  beggar,  was  a  world  of  sensation 
and  consciousness,  a  world  even  in  its  night 
and  ruin  nobler  than  earth  or  sun  ;  for  what 
is  matter,  in  quantities  however  vast,  and 
forms  however  excellent,  to  an  immortal 
soul  ?  Darkness  has,  indeed,  long  wrapped  it, 
and  wisdom  been  "  from  one  entrance  quite 
shut  out."  But  now  the  same  mighty  word 
has  spoken,  and  this  living  world  is  suddenly 
lighted  through  all  its  wondering,  grateful 
depths.  Think  ye  the  angels  had  no  song  for 
this  also  ? 

Then  who  shall  dare  speak  lightly  of  that 
work,  in  which  God,  who  commanded  the 
light  to  shine  out  of  darkness,  hath  shined  in 
our  hearts,  to  give  us  the  light  of  the  knowl- 
edge of  tlie  glory  of  God  in  the  face  of  Jesus 
Christ? '     Are  we  not  using  language  most 

*  Geu.,  i.  3.  '2  Cor.,  iv.  6. 

J9 


218  BLIND   BARTIMEUS. 

accurate!}',  when  we  call  the  new  birth  The 
Great  Change?  Is  it  not  an  event  to  be  look- 
ed upon  with  astonishment?  ever  to  be  spoken 
of  with  reverence?  Is  it  not  a  thing  for  ever- 
lasting amazement,  that  a  guilty  Avretch,  dead, 
under  the  curse  of  God,  should  receive  a  com-' 
munication  of  the  divine  life,  be  made  a  par- 
taker of  the  divine  nature,^  and  be  adopted 
into  the  divine  family?  that  he  should  be 
lifted  from  the  dust  of  death  to  sit  with  princes 
on  the  heavenly  hill  ?  that  from  the  pollutions 
of  a  hellish  slavery,  he  should  be  exalted  to 
Ihe  liberties  and  dignities,  to  the  sanctity  and 
blessedness  of  sonship  with  the  Most  High? 
yea,  that  he  should  be  a  joint-heir  with 
Christ,"  and  sit  with  Him  in  His  Throne,'  and 
reign  with  Him,  in  indissoluble  union  with 
Him^  and  participation  with  Him  evermore 
in  the  honors  and  offices  of  His  everlasting 
kingdom  and  priesthood?^  Oh,  if  there  were 
but  one  instance  of  this,  would  it  not  be  for 
the  glory  of  God  and  the  wonder  of  heaven 
for  ever  ?    And  shall  it  be  less,  when  we  have 

'  2  Pet,  1.  4.  *  Rom.,  viiL  17. 

•  Rev.,  iii.  21.  •  Rev.,  i.  6 ;  v.  10. 


BLIND  BARTIMEUS,  219 

but  to  lift  up  our  eyes,  and  lo,  a  great  multitude 
which  no  man  can  number,  of  all  nations, 
and  kindreds,  and  people,  and  tongues,  stand- 
ing before  the  throne,  and  before  the  Lamb  ? ' 

Well  may  the  Apostle  of  love  cry  out  with 
an  admiration  which  even  he  cannot  all  ex- 
press, Behold  what  manner  of  love  the  Father 
hath  bestowed  upon  us,  that  we  should  be 
called  the  sons  of  God !  And  as  his  soul 
kindles  along  the  line  of  our  coming  glory, 
exclaim  again,  confessing  too  how  it  passeth 
understanding,  Beloved,  now  are  we  the  sons 
of  God,  and  it  doth  not  yet  appear  what  we 
shall  be ;  but  we  know  that  when  He  shall 
appear,  we  shall  be  like  Him,  for  we  shall  see 
Him  as  He  is !' 

Well  may  the  saints,  for  ever  beholding,  in 
the  Lamb  that  was  slain,  the  ground  of  their 
acceptance  and  the  image  of  their  sonship, 
sing  in  song  for  ever  new,  Unto  Him  that  hath 
loved  us,  and  washed  us  from  our  sins  in  His 
own  blood,  and  hath  made  us  kings  and  priests 
unto  God  and  His  Father,  to  Him  be  glory  and 
dominion  for  ever  and  ever  !* 

•  Eev^  vii.  9,  « 1  John,  iii.  1,  2,  '  Rev.,  L  5,  6. 


220  BLIND  BARTIMEUS. 

And  shall  we  not  bless,  with  equal  praise, 
the  good  Spirit  of  our  God,  of  whom  we  were 
born  again/  in  whose  leading  we  have  proof 
^)f  our  sonship,^  and  bj  whose  effectual  work- 
ing we  shall  be  changed  into  the  very  image 
of  the  glory  for  which  we  sigh  ?' — oh,  shall 
we  not  bless  Him,  who  is  at  once  the  Spirit 
of  grace/  of  life,^  of  adoption/  of  help,'  of 
prayer,'  of  liberty,*  of  comfort,*  of  sanctifica- 
tion,"*  of  access,"  of  glory  and  of  God?'''  Can 
we  praise  with  a  too  boundless  admiration 
that  work,  on  which  the  energies  of  the  whole 
Godhead  are  expended,  and  by  which  the  Per- 
fections of  Father,  Son  and  Holy  Ghost  are 
chiefly  seen  for  ever?  Neander  does  not 
speak  too  strongly  when  he  calls  "  the  com- 
munication of  the  life  of  God  to  men,"  "the 
greatest  of  all  miracles,  the  essence  and  aim  of 
all,  the  standing  miracle  of  all  ages." 

HI.  As  "Bartimeus  immediately  received 
his  sight,"  so  in  regeneration,  the  great  change 


>  John,  iii.  6.  2  Rom.,  viii.  14.  s  2  Cor.,  iii.  18. 

*  Zech.,  xii.  10.  s  Rom.,  viii.  2.  *  Rom.,  viii.  15. 

'  Rom.,  viii.  26.  »  2  Cor.,  iii.  It.  »  John,  xiv.  16,  17. 

"  1  Cor.,  vi.  11.  "  Eph.,  ii.  18.  >  1  Pet.,  iv.  14.. 


BLIND   BARTIMEU3.  221 

is  instantaneous.  There  is  some  one  moment 
when  the  vision  of  the  blind  man,  and  the  new 
life  of  the  sinner  begins.  It  may  be  feeble,  but 
it  has  begun,  and  for  the  faintest  beginning  the 
creative  act  is  needed.  The  case  of  that  other 
blind  man,  who,  at  first,  saw  men  as  trees 
walking,*  is  not  an  illustration  of  gradual  re- 
generation. Whenever  it  could  be  said  that 
he  saw,  no  matter  how  dimly,  the  great  change 
was  implied.  However  confused  and  weak 
his  vision,  it  was  real.  Before  he  was  blind ; 
now  he  sees.  His  whole  state  is  changed,  and 
is  to  be  described  by  directly  opposite  expres- 
sions. Then  he  saw  nothing,  he  could  not 
see ;  now  he  can  and  does  see.  No  farther 
change  in  the  degree  of  his  power  to  see  can 
equal  this,  that  from  utter  blindness,  he  should 
see  at  all. 

And  so  in  spiritual  things  ;  the  kingdoms  of 
darkness  and  light  have  no  neutral  frontier 
where  their  dominions  mingle.^  They  are  in 
deadliest  opposition  and  sharpest  contrast. 
One  cannot  be  the  subject  of  Christ  and  of 
Satan  at  the  same  time,  nor  in  neutrality,  sub- 

»  Mark,  viii.  24.  "  Mat,  vi.  24. 

19* 


222  •  BLIND  BARTIMEUS. 

ject  to  neither.  He  must  be  under  either 
■wrath  or  grace,  either  dead  or  alive.  None 
can  be  both  dead  and  alive  ;  none  can  be  nei- 
ther dead  nor  alive. 

But  lest  any  draw  a  mistaken  and  discour- 
aging inference,  the  case  of  that  other  blind 
man'  ih  to  be  carefully  regarded.  Men  may 
come  slowly  to  their  evidences  of  regenera- 
tion. Mists  and  darkness  may  still  wrap  the 
new  creation.  The  sinner  often  frames  for 
himself  an  ideal  of  conversion  which  leads 
to  disappointment.  His  own  imagination  and 
the  glowing  accounts  he  has  sometimes  heard, 
cast  a  golden  flush  over  his  expected  expe- 
rience. But  the  Spirit  sometimes  grants  only 
an  experience  of  such  a  plain  and  common- 
place character,  that  for  a  loDg  time  it  never 
occurs  to  the  sinner  that  this  is  the  work  for 
which  he  has  waited  in  such  high  anticipation. 
In  many  cases,  especially  where  grace  reigns 
in  early  life,  the  Spirit's  work,  in  its  various 
stages  from  conviction  to  conscious  enjoyment 
of  pardoning  love,  is  quiet,  gradual,  and  al- 
most imperceptible.     At  other  times  the  Sov- 

1  Mark,  viii.  22-26. 


BLIND  BARTIMEUS.  223 

ereign  Spirit  may  direct  the  sinner's  eyes,  at 
the  moment  of  his  illumination,  chiefly  to  the 
guilt  of  his  past  life,  or  downward  into  the 
abysses  of  his  own  heart,  or  to  the  terrible 
majesty  and  exactions  of  God's  holy  law,  and 
so  fill  him  with  renewed  anguish.  Comfort  is 
not  always  the  immediate  result  of  the  new 
birth.  The  sound  of  weeping  may  be  the 
first  that  is  heard. 

Sometimes,  too,  the  gloom  disperses  very 
slowly,  and  many  a  blacker  cloud  sweeps 
through  it,  till  the  soul  is  ready  to  despair. 
But  in  none  of  these  cases  is  the  soul  left 
without  sufficient  attainable  evidence  that  it 
is  born  of  Grod. 

Many  are  the  souls  who  must  say  with  holy 
Joseph  Fletcher  of  Stepney,  "  it  has  often  been 
the  cause  of  much  distress  that  I  could  not 
particularize  the  place,  the  time,  the  means  of 
my  conversion." 

To  know   these  things   would  indeed  be 

pleasant,  but  let  none  be  too  anxious  about 

them.     Let  them  give  all  diligence  to  make 

their  calling  and  election  sure,'  but  be  also 

'  2  Peter,  i.  10. 


224  BLIND   BARTIMEUS. 

careful  not  to  waste  time  and  comfort  in  these 
fruitless  inquiries,  and  embarrass  the  great 
question  by  that  which  does  not  concern  it. 
The  main  thing  for  every  sinner  is,  to  be 
able  on  good  ground,  to  say,  Whereas  I  was 
blind,  now  I  see.'  If  he  can  say  this,  and 
have  the  witness  of  the  Spirit  to  its  truth,''  it 
matters  little  whether  he  is  able  to  add,  On 
such  a  day,  in  such  a  place,  by  such  and  such 
means,  my  eyes  were  opened. 

A  good  ship  has  been  broken  by  the  tem- 
pest. Mast  and  rudder  and  compass,  all  are 
gone.  The  storm  is  over,  but  the  wreck  is 
drifting  away  blindly  through  night  and  fog. 
At  length  all  is  still,  and  the  wondering  sailors 
wait  for  the  day.  Tardily  and  uncertainly  it 
dawns,  and  as  the  heavy  mists  slowly  dissolve, 
all  eyes  are  busy  trying  to  discover  where 
they  are.  At  length  one  descries  a  cliff  which 
seems  familiar,  another  a  pier  in  which  he  can 
hardly  be  mistaken,  a  third  the  old  church 
spire,  under  whose  shadow  his  mother  is  sleep- 
ing, and  now,  as  the  sun  breaks  forth,  they  all 
cry  out  in  joyful  assurance  that  they  are  in  the 

'  John,  ix.  25.  «  Rom.,  yiii.  16. 


BLIND   BARTIMEUS.  225 

desired  haven !  Mysteriously  and  without 
their  aid,  the  Ruler  of  wind  and  wave  has 
brought  them  there,  and  all  are  exulting  in 
the  great  deliverance. 

Nay,  shall  we  say  not  all?  Can  you  im- 
agine one  poor  melancholy  man  refusing  to 
rejoice,  and  even  doubting  these  evidences, 
because  he  cannot  tell  the  hour  and  angle  of 
his  arrival,  nor  whether  he  was  borne  chiefly 
by  currents  of  air  or  ocean  ? 

rV.  On  the  blessedness  of  this  change  in 
Bartimeus — image  of  the  spiritual  blessedness 
of  him  who  is  first  tasting  that  the  Lord  is 
gracious' — I  can  hardly  bring  myself  to  com- 
ment. The  words  of  the  evangelist,  "imme- 
diately he  received  his  sight,"  are  the  calm 
record  of  rapture  beyond  conception.  Well 
does  Addison  call  our  sight  the  most  perfect 
and  most  delightful  of  all  our  senses.^  Well 
does  Solomon  exclaim,  The  light  of  the  eyes 
rejoiceth  the  heart, ^  and  cry  out  again,  like 
one  on  whom  a  morning  without  clouds  was 
dawning,*    Truly  the  light   is  sweet,  and   a 

» 1  Pet.,  ii.  3.  2  Spectator,  No.  411. 

'  ProT ,  XV.  30.  *  2  Sam.,  xxiii.  4. 


226  BLIND   BARTIMEUS. 

pleasant  thing  it  is  for  the  eyes  to  behold  the 
sun  !  *  Is  it  not  beautiful  that  the  ejcs  of  a 
babe  are  scarcely  opened  on  this  world,  before 
they  follow  the  light  and  gaze  on  it  as  an 
absorbing  wonder?  After  its  needful  nur- 
ture, its  first  joy  is  light — soft  nurture,  too, 
and  stimulus,  is  it  not? — for  its  little  new- 
born soul.  And  why  is  it  that  we  gaze  uncon- 
sciously, but  inevitably,  on  the  ray  that  steals 
to  us  through  chink  or  crevice,  as  we  sit  in 
reverie  in  a  darkened  room?  Turn  away 
as  often  and  as  resolutely  as  we  will,  if  we 
forget  again,  the  strong  instinct  of  nature  pre- 
vails, and  our  eyes  fasten  again  upon  the 
light.  And  who  has  not  felt  his  soul  bliss- 
fully swimming  on  the  glories  which  pour,  in 
amber  and  gold  and  crimson,  from  the  setting 
sun?  Though  we  have  seen  it  a  thousand 
times,  we  seek  it  again,  and  gaze,  with  ador- 
ing thankfulness,  on  the  boundless  canvas  of 
transparent  ether,  on  which  the  hand  of  God 
is  spreading  the  colors  of  heaven.  Our  sense 
of  joy  is  fresher,  if  not  deeper,  when  even  for 
a  night  the  sight  has  been  shadowed,  and  the 

'  Eccl.,  xi.  7. 


BLIND  BARTIMEUS.  227 

'■* 
ejes    open   on   the  advancing   splendoi's   of 

morning.  And  when  after  long  imprisonment 
in  the  chamber  of  suffering,  we  go  forth  again, 
leaning,  perhaps,  on  the  arm  of  a  congenial 
friend,  to  breathe  once  more  the  fresh  air,  and 
rejoice  in  the  measureless  freedom  of  nature, 
she  seems  to  have  clothed  her  green  fields  and 
forests,  her  blue  skies  and  waters,  in  a  brighter 
pomp  of  "  summer  braverj"  than  ever  before, 
and  the  strange  beauty  fills  and  almost  op- 
presses the  soul.  In  what  affecting  terms  does 
Dr.  Kane  describe  the  almost  adoring  rapture 
with  which  the  return  of  the  first  sunshine 
was  hailed,  after  the  long  horror  of  an  Arctic 
night — the  frozen  blackness  of  months'  dura- 
tion, when  he  eagerly  climbed  the  icy  hills 
"  to  get  the  luxury  of  basking  in  its  bright- 
ness," and  made  the  grateful  record,  "  To-day, 
blessed  be  the  Great  Author  of  light !  I  have 
once  more  looked  upon  the  sun ;"  while  his 
poor  men,  sick,  mutilated,  broken-hearted,  and 
ready  to  die,  crawled  painfully  from  their  dark 
berths  to  look  upon  his  healing  beams  ;  when 
"  every  thing  seemed  superlative  lustre  and 


228  BLIND  BARTIMEUS. 

unsurpassable  glory,"  wlien  they  could  not 
refrain  ;  they  "  oversaw  the  light."  ' 

But  what  was  this,  what  were  all  these,  to 
the  wonder  and  joy  of  Bartimeus's  first  vision 
of  the  mighty  works  of  God  ?  They  already 
had  the  sense  of  sight,  and  had  enjoyed  many 
pleasureahle  exercises  of  it.  To  him  the  very 
sense  was  new,  unimagined  before.  And  now, 
at  the  word  of  Christ,  the  glorious  element 
comes  streaming,  suddenly  and  for  the  first 
time,  and  in  its  fulness,  with  thrills  of  incon- 
ceivable bliss,  upon  the  sense  and  soul  buried 
from  birth  in  utter  darkness.  Surely,  on  that 
day  the  light  of  the  moon  was  as  the  light  of 
the  sun,  and  the  light  of  the  sun  as  the  light 
of  seven  days.* 

And  what  did  he  see  first  ?  Jesus,  his  best 
friend,  his  Saviour!  Jesus,  chiefest  of  ten 
thousand  and  altogether  lovely;'  O  enviable 
lot !  The  first  image  which  the  light  of  heaven 
formed  in  his  soul  was  the  image  of  that  dear 
face ;  0  rich  recompense  for  the  long  pains  of 
blindness  !     The  first  employment  of  his  eyes 

*  Arctic  Expedition.  Yol.  IT.  "^  Is.,  xxx.  2G. 

=>  Song,  V.  10 


BLIND  BARTIMEUS.  229 

was  in  beholding  Him  that  opened  them ;  O 
blessed  consecration  of  his  new  powers  and 
pleasures !  He  is  still  on  his  knees,  fixed  by 
the  blessed  vision  where  he  had  lately  sunk 
in  anguish  and  darkness.  The  eyes  of  Jesus 
are  looking  kindly  down  into  his  eyes,  dilated 
and  radiant  with  ecstacy.  Gaze  on,  old  man  ! 
Thou  canst  not  look  too  ardently  or  too  long. 
Never  can  thine  eyes  have  nobler  or  purer 
joy  on  earth.  "Well  mayst  thou  forget  even 
sun  and  moon  while  He  is  before  thee.  In 
heaven  itself  all  eyes  are  turned  to  Him.  In 
heaven  they  need  no  sun  nor  moon,  for  He, 
the  Brightness  of  the  Father's  glory,  is  the 
light  thereof.^ 

But  is  the  joy  which  attends  spiritual  illu- 
mination answerable  to  this  ?  Not  always  (we 
have  seen)  as  the  immediate  result.  Bat  it  is 
attainable,  and  very  soon  the  believer  ought 
to  have  it,  and,  unless  through  ignorance, 
error,  or  guilt,  will  have  it  and  that  abun- 
dantly. 

That  this  is  so,  the  Scriptures  every  where 
prove,  by  their  commands  which  make  joy  in 

'  Rev.,  xxi.  23  ;  Heb.,  i.  3. 
20 


230  BLIND   BARTIMEUS. 

the  Lord  a  duty  ;'  by  their  frequent  and  most 
hearty  exhortations,  especially  in  the  Psalms, 
— that  book  of  religious  experience  ;  by  their 
abounding  declarations  as  to  the  blessedness 
of  the  righteous;^  and  by  their  exceeding 
great  and  precious  promises,*  full  of  the  very 
cordial  of  heaven.* 

Moreover  the  Bible  is  the  sole  Eevealer  of  a 
conception  of  joy,  in  comparison  with  which 
every  other  idea  of  it,  wherever  found,  is  poor, 
earthly,  and  already  darkened  with  the  taint 
of  death.  It  is  a  conception  in  which  every 
best  element  of  every  earthly  delight,  by  what- 
ever name  known — all  the  serenity  of  peace, 
all  the  exhilaration  of  hope,  all  the  satisfaction 
of  fruition,  all  the  liveliness  and  sparkle  of 
joy,  all  the  mellower  radiance  of  gladness,  all 
the  flush  and  bound  of  exultation,  all  the 
thrill  and  movement  of  rapture,  are  wrought 
into  one  surpassing  combination,  which  chas- 
tened by  holiness,  softened  by  charity,  dig- 
nified by  immortality  and  transfused  by  the 

'  Phil,  W.  4.         '^  Ps.  xxsiii.  1.         3  Ps.  i. ;  Mat.,  v.  3-12. 

<  2  Pet,  i.  4.       s  Ps,  ciii.  Many  pages  of  referencea 

would  not  exhaust  the  Scriptures  embraced  under  these 
heads. 


BLIND  BARTIMEUS.  231 

beams  of  the  all-encircling  glory  of  the  God- 
head, is  Blessedness. 

It  elevates  the  soul  to  know  of  such  a  state  as 
possible  for  itself;  it  purifies  it  to  hope  for  it; 
strengthens  it  to  strive  after  it.  What  then  must 
it  be  to  taste  it,  as  we  may  on  earth,  and  drink 
it  to  the  full,  as  we  shall  for  ever  in  heaven  I 

Blessedness  begins  when  the  divine  life  has 
consciously  begun,  and  progresses  just  as  it 
is  vigorous  and  unobstructed.  For  pleasure 
must  spring  from  the  flow  of  healthy  life.  K 
the  life  is  from  God,  the  pleasure  must  be 
godlike.  As  God  is  the  Living  One  and  the 
Blessed  One,  just  as  we  participate  in  His  life, 
we  must  also  share  His  blessedness. 

The  soul  is  supremely  blessed  when  it  rests 
perfectly  in  God.  That  rest  begins  when  He 
is  seen  by  faith  reconciled  in  Jesus  Christ. 
It  is  consummated  when  faith  is  lost  in  sight. 
It  begins  on  earth.  It  is  perfected  in  heaven. 
But  let  it  not  be  thought  that  either  here  or 
there  it  is  a  sluggish  or  even  passive  rest.  It 
is  inevitably  active  from  the  unceasing  stir  of 
energies  for  ever  stimulated,  for  ever  unex- 
hausted.    Yet,  indeed,  there  is  a  blessed  pas- 


232  BLIND  BARTIMEUS. 

siveness  too.  Ever  desiring,  it  is  ever  satisfied ; 
and  so,  looking  and  loving,  enlarging  and  fill- 
ing, blessed  and  blessing,  it  goes  on  for  ever. 

This  is  the  Bible  idea  of  happiness.  It  is 
the  perennial  flow  of  the  fountain  into  which 
the  currents  of  the  Infinite  Ocean  are  pour- 
ing ;  the  eternal  going  forth  to  God  in  love,  of 
the  life  which  He  hath  implanted  in  grace,  and 
which  He  ever  nourishes  bj  perpetual  com- 
munion in  glory. 

It  has  two  elements,  no  more.  It  receives, 
it  gives.  If  it  cannot  give,  or  will  not,  re- 
ceiving is  in  vain.  The  active  is  a  higher  ele- 
ment than  the  passive.  It  is  more  blessed,  sajs 
Christ,  to  give  than  to  receive.'  Yet  is  the 
passive  first  in  necessity  and  order.  Were 
there  no  receiving,  there  could  be  no  giving. 

Finally,  if  the  new  relations  of  a  spiritually 
enlightened  and  renewed  soul  be  considered, 
we  cannot  doubt  the  reality  and  greatness  of 
its  blessedness,  both  in  the  life  which  now  is, 
and  that  which  is  to  come.^  The  believer  has 
been  freed  from  the  curse  of  the  broken  law, 
the  wrath  of  God,  the  bondage  of  Satan  and 

Acts,  XX.  35.  "  1  Tim.,  iv.  8. 


.       BLIi^T)  BARTIMEUS  233 

the  doom  of  bell.  God  lias,  in  free  grace, 
pardoned  all  his  sins  and  accepted  him  as 
righteous  in  His  sight^  for  the  righteousness 
of  Christ  imputed  to  him.  He  has  been  re- 
ceived into  the  number,  and  has  a  right  to 
all  the  privileges  of  the  sons  of  God.  He  is 
renewed  in  the  whole  man  after  the  image 
of  God,  and  enabled  more  and  more  to  die 
unto  sin,  and  live  unto  righteousness.  He 
may  in  this  life  partake  in  the  unspeakable 
benefits  of  assurance  of  God's  love,  peace  of 
conscience,  joy  in  the  Holy  Ghost,  increase  of 
grace  and  perseverance  therein  to  the  end.  He 
knows  that  his  soul  shall  at  death  be  made 
perfect  in  holiness,  and  immediately  pass  into 
glory ;  while  his  body,  being  still  united  to 
Christ,  shall  rest  in  its  grave  till  the  resurrec- 
tion ;  and  that  then,  being  raised  up  in  glory, 
he  shall  be  openly  acknowledged  and  ac- 
quitted in  the  day  of  judgment,  and  made 
perfectly  blessed  in  the  full  enjoying  of  God 
to  all  eternity. 

With  these  words,  sublime  as  they  are  well 
known,  I  conclude  what  I  had  to  say  of  the 
blessedness  of  the  new  birth. 
20* 


X. 

"  And  followed  Jesua  m  the  way." 

:=o  HOUGH  Jesus  stood  still  at  the  beg- 
gar's call,  He  may  stay  no  longer. 
This  work  is  finished,  and  His  might- 
ier work  on  Calvary  urges  Him  on. 

But  what  shall  Bartiraeus  do?  Must 
they  part  so  soon  ?  Are  his  eyes  no 
more  to  see  His  Lord?  Have  they  been 
opened  that  he  may  know  his  gracious  Friend, 
and  taste  the  brief  bliss  of  one  moment's  gaze, 
and  then  bid  Him  farewell  ?  He  would  still 
see,  indeed,  but  the  day  would  lack  the  warmth 
and  glory  it  had  before.  Ay,  his  Sun  would 
be  set,  and  all  that  remained  would  be  but 
as  the  stars  gleaming  coldly  on  the  darkened 
earth.  It  cannot  be.  As  Jesus  turns  to  de- 
part, he  spiings  from  the  dust,  and  follows 
Him  in  the  way. 

Draw  me,  cries  the  Bride  in  the  Song,  as 


BLIND   BARTIMEUS.  285 

soon  as  slie  catclies  sight  of  the  royal  cliariot 
which  bears  her  approaching  Lord,  Draw  me, 
and  we  will  run  after  Thee.*  One  glimpse  of 
His  beauty  ravishes  her  soul  with  holy  ad- 
miration. She  would  fly  to  His  presence,  and 
there  she  would  abide.  K  He  stands,  like 
Mary,  she  would  sit  at  His  feet.  If  He  re- 
moves, she  would  run  after  Him. 

This  simple  phrase,  "  following  Jesus,"  is 
comprehensive  of  the  whole  Christian  life,  and 
the  many  examples  in  the  New  Testament  of 
following  Him  bodily  are  given,  that  we  may 
understand  what  it  is  to  follow  Him  spirit- 
ually. Christ  has  left  us  an  example,  says 
Peter,  that  we  should  follow  His  steps." 
Archbishop  Leighton,  commenting  on  this 
passage,  well  reminds  us  that  the  word  "  ex- 
ample" is  "copy" in  the  original — such  a  copy 
as  children  write  after;  whereof,  he  adds, 
"  every  step  of  His  is  a  letter."  Oh  that  the 
Holy  Spirit  may  teach  us  to  dip  our  pens  in 
His  dying  love,  and  write  after  the  blessed 
lines  with  a  skilful  hand  ! 

Whoever  has  looked  unto   Jesus    as   the 

'  Song,  i.  4.  '1  Peter,  ii.  21. 


236  BLIND   BARTIMEUS. 

Author  of  his  faith,  will  look  unto  Him  as  the 
Finisher/  If  the  eyes  be  opened  truly  to  see 
Him,  the  heart  will  be  opened  truly  to  love 
Him;  and  when  the  heart  is  thus  enlarged, 
like  David,  we  will  run  in  the  way  of  His 
commandments."  This  is  the  test  of  disciple- 
ship  ;  If  any  man  serve  Me,  let  him  follow 
Me.'  It  is  a  mark  found  in  all  the  saints; 
My  sheep  hear  My  voice,  and  I  know  them, 
and  they  follow  Me.^  The  Psalmist  speaks 
not  for  himself  alone,  but  for  all  sound  be- 
lievers, when  he  cries,  My  soul  followeth  hard 
after  Thee.^  It  was  the  salvation  of  Caleb 
and  Joshua  in  the  day  of  wrath,  and  is  re- 
corded as  their  glory  for  ever,  that  they 
wholly  followed  the  Lord  their  God.^  They 
found  it,  as  all  true  pilgrims  shall,  the  only 
path  of  safety,  and  the  only  one  that,  coming 
out  of  Egypt,  stops  not  short  of  Canaan.  To 
follow  Jesus  is  the  antidote  of  all  error,  doubt 
and  despondency ;  it  ensures  our  soundness 
in  doctrine,  our  growth  in  grace,  and  our 
comforting,  perpetual,  and  life-giving  illumi- 

!  Heb.,  xii.  2.  *  Ps.  cxix.  32.  =  John,  xii.  26.  *  John,  x.  27. 
•  Psalm  Ixiii.  8.      «  Num.,  xxxii.  11,  12  ;  Josh.,  xiv.  6-14. 


BLIND   BARTIMEUS.  237 

nation.  All  this  is  in  the  words  of  Christ ;  I 
am  the  Light  of  the  world  :  He  that  followeth 
Me  shall  not  walk  in  darkness,  but  shall  have 
the  light  of  life.'  And  here,  too,  we  find  the 
high,  eternal  service  and  blessedness  of  the 
saints.  It  is  the  glorj  and  joj  of  the  one 
hundred  and  forty  and  four  thousand,  re- 
deemed from  the  earth  as  the  first  fruits  unto 
Grod  and  the  Lamb,  that  they  follow  the  Lamb 
whithersoever  He  goeth.^ 

O  friends,  let  us  follow  Him  whithersoever 
He  goeth.  Let  us  follow  Him  "in  the  way" 
— the  way  laid  down  in  His  Word,  the  way 
opened  by  His  Providence,  the  way  of  which 
the  Spirit  whispers,  This  is  the  way,  walk  ye 
in  it.^  It  may  lead  thee  into  great  and  sore 
troubles  ;  but  when  thou  passest  through  the 
waters,  He  will  be  with  thee,  and  through  the 
rivers,  they  shall  not  overflow  thee ;  when 
thou  walkest  through  the  fire,  thou  shalt  not 
be  burned;  neither  shall  the  flame  kindle 
upon  thee."  It  may  be  a  way  of  which  we  can- 
not see  the  end,  nay,  in  which  we  must  walk 

'  John,  viii.  12.  "  Rev.,  xiv.  4. 

Is.,  XXX.  21.  4  la.j  xliil  2. 


238  BLIND  BAETIMEUS. 

softly/  groping  and  wondering.  Let  us  be 
of  good  heart,  and  still  hope  in  God ;  for  we 
shall  yet  praise  Him  for  the  help  of  His  coun- 
tenance.    At  evening-time,  it  shall  be  light.' 

Sometimes  His  way  is  in  the  sea,  and  His 
path  in  the  great  waters,  and  His  footsteps  are 
not  known.  Then  the  voice  of  His  thunder 
is  in  the  heavens,  the  waters  are  afraid,  the 
depths  also  are  troubled.  But  it  is  only 
His  enemies  who  need  be  in  fear  and  dread. 
These  tremendous  preparations  may,  indeed, 
intimidate  even  His  own  people  for  a  while, 
and  they  may  tremble  as  they  find  that  His 
awful  pathway  must  be  theirs.  But  soon 
even  the  women  of  Israel  are  exulting,  with 
timbrel  and  dance,  on  the  shore  of  liberty,  in 
the  glorious  triumphing  of  their  God.^ 

The  path  of  many  of  us  may  lie  much  in 
the  Valley  of  Humiliation — a  life  of  obscurity, 
poverty  and  lowly  toil.  We  may  be  Christ's 
hidden  ones  *  all  our  days.  Or,  we  may  be 
brought  down  to  dwell  here,  after  having 
walked  in  high  places.     Now,  the  descent  to 

*  Is.,  xxxviii.  15.  *  Pa.  xliL  5 ;  Zech.,  xiv.  7. 

» Ps.  Ixxvii.  16-20  ;  Ex.,  xv.  20,  21.         *  Ps.  Ixxxiii.  3. 


BLIND  BARTIMEUS.  239 

this  valley,  says  Bunyan,  is  "  steep,"  and  "  the 
way  slippery  ;"  and  who  bath  not  found  it  so? 
Yet  it  was  among  its  green  meadows  **  beauti- 
ful with  lilies,"  that  Mr.  Great-heart  and  the 
pilgrims  heard  the  cheerful  song  of  the  Shep- 
herd's boy,  who  wore  so  much  of  "  the  herb 
called  heart's-ease  in  his  bosom."  And  here 
"  our  Lord  formerly  had  His  country-house  ; 
He  loved  much  to  be  here  ;  He  loved  also  to 
walk  in  these  meadows,  and  He  found  the  air 
was  pleasant." 

Yes,  humble  pilgrims  I  be  sure  ye  shall  find 
your  Lord's  foot-prints  set  thickly  here.  There 
you  may  see  the  stable  in  which  He  was  born/ 
the  humble  home  in  which  He  lived,'  the 
shop  in  which  He  toiled,'  the  mountain-side 
where  He  prayed  through  all  the  long  night.* 
See  the  paths  going  all  over  the  valley,  all 
worn  by  His  feet,  and  stopping  so  often  at  the 
abodes  of  the  suffering  and  poor.®  There  He 
sat  and  wept  over  the  guilty  and  lost,*  and 
there  He  took  the  little  children  and  blessed 


1  Lukei  ii.  7.  a  Luke,  ii.  39,  51 

"  Mark,  vi.  3.  '  Luke,  vi.  12. 

*  Mat.,  iv.  23  ;  xi.  5.  •  Luke,  xix.  41 


210  BLIND   BARTIMEUS. 

them.'  See,  too,  the  place  of  His  anguish,  of 
His  trial,  of  His  bloody  death  I'*  And  there 
is  His  tomb,  but  with  the  stone  rolled  away, 
and  empty  now  P  And  there  is  the  upper 
chamber,  where  He  breathed  that  peace  which 
still  hovers  over  this  valley  like  an  air  of 
balm.*  And  there  He  lifted  up  His  hands  and 
ascended  to  His  Father  and  your  Father,  His 
God  and  your  God.^ 

So  thy  way,  believer,  must  lie  by  the  Gross 
and  the  grave.  But*  beyond  the  grave  is  the 
resurrection,  and  then  the  crown  of  life  for  ever. 
Fear  not  then  to  follow  the  Good  Shepherd. 
Let  the  Twenty- third  Psalm  teach  thee,  in  a 
gracious  summary,  how  and  where  He  will 
lead  thee,  and  what  He  will  do  for  thee  by  the 
way ;  and  I  think  thou  wilt  be  ready  to  say 
with  Mr.  Standfast,  as  he  stood  in  the  River  of 
death,  "  Wherever  I  have  seen  the  print  of 
His  shoe  in  the  earth,  there  I  have  coveted  to 
set  my  foot  too."  Look,  then,  evermore  to 
Jesus,  thy  Precursor,  and  therefore  Examplar, 

1  Mark,  x.  13-16.  "  Mat.,  xxvi.  36,  57  ;  xxvii.  2,  33. 

»  Mat.,  xxviii.  2,  6.  *  John,  xx.  19. 

^  Joliu,  XX.  17;  Luke,  xxiv.  bO. 


BLIND  BARTIMEUS.  241 

in  all  the  way  of  faith  and  obedience/  and 
cry  unto  Him,  even  as  He  cried,  in  the  days  of 
His  flesh,'  to  His  Father,  Thou  wilt  show  me 
the  path  of  life  !  In  Thy  presence  is  fulness 
of  joy ;  at  Thy  right  hand  are  pleasures  for 
evermore  P 

'  Heb.,  xii.  2,  3.  *  Heb.,  v.  1.  =  Psalm  xvi.  11 

21 


XL 

"  Glorifying  God." 

^^)HEN  his  ejes  found  their  noblest 
joy,  his  tongue  was  put  to  its  no- 
blest use.  It  is  the  glory  of  the 
tongue  that  it  can  glorify  God.' 
Filled  with,  irrepressible  gladness, 
he  broke  forth  in  loud  thanksgivings  and 
praises.  He  began  to  sing  in  the  ways  of  the 
Lord^  as  soon  as  be  entered  them.  He  had 
reached  the  fourth  and  brightest  link  of  that 
gracious  succession  revealed  in  Psalm  1.  15; 
trouble  leading  to  prayer,  prayer  issuing  in  de- 
liverance, and  deliverance  in  glorifying.  As  he 
looked  around  on  the  goodly  frame  of  nature, 
and  felt  the  streams  of  Grod's  gracious  benig- 
nity flowing  into  his  consciousness,  he  was  con- 
strained to 

"bear  some  humble  part 
In  that  immortal  song," 

which  is  sung  in  that  world,  in  which   both 

'  James,  iii.  9.  '  Psalm  cxxxviii.  6. 


BT.IND   BARTIMEUS.  243 

creation  and  redemption  are  glorified;  Great 
and  marvellous  are  Thy  Works,  Lord  God 
Almighty !  Just  and  true  are  Thy  Ways, 
Thou  King  of  saints  I  Who  shall  not  fear 
Thee,  O  Lord,  and  glorify  Thy  name?* 

Whoso  offereth  praise  glorifieth  Me,  says 
God.'  There  were  three  ways  in  which  Bar- 
timeus  glorified  Him,  and  none  can  glorify 
Him  in  any  other  way  ; — in  thought,  word  and 
deed ;  by  his  heart's  secret  gladness  and  ador- 
ation, by  his  audible  and  public  praise,  and  by 
his  following  Jesus  in  the  way.  The  first  was 
the  fruit  of  the  soul,  the  second  the  fruit  of 
the  lips,  the  third  the  fruit  of  the  lif\  The 
first  was  visible  to  God  alone,  the  second  and 
third  were  manifest  to  men.  The  first  was 
the  hidden  spring  of  both  the  others ;  for  the 
thanksgiving  of  the  soul  is  the  soul  of  thanks- 
giving, and  where  it  is  wanting,  the  profes- 
sions of  the  mouth  and  the  works  of  the  life 
are  dead  and  offensive  ; — the  loathsome  offer- 
ing of  hypocrisy.  But  if  the  lips  and  life 
have  not  their  offerings  also,  the  praise  of 
the  soul   is   without  its   needful   outlets   and 

1  Eev.,  XV.  3,  4.  2  Psalm  1.  23. 


244  BLIND   BARTIMEUS. 

evidences,  and  like  faitli  without  works,  is 
dead,  being  alone.*  If  through  sloth  or  cow- 
ardice in  speaking  and  acting  for  God,  a  bushel 
is  put  over  the  light,''  it  will  not  only  be 
concealed  but  smothered.  The  true  light, 
the  light  of  God's  kindling,  will;  indeed,  ac- 
cording to  the  proverb,  burn  through  the 
bushel.^  If  there  is  abundance  in  the  heart, 
the  raouth  loill  speak.^  Art  thou  still  dumb  ? 
Then  thy  lieart's  fancied  abundance  is  empti- 
ness, Eeligion  not  in  the  soul  is  mockery. 
Eeligion  in  the  soul  only,  is  impossibility.  We 
must  first  he  light,  ourselves  lighted  from  the 
Sun  of  Eighteousness,  and  then  our  light 
must  shine  before  men,  that  they  may  see  our 
good  works.  So  only  can  we  lead  others  to 
glorify  our  Father  who  is  in  heaven,  and  there- 
b}^  ourselves  most  effectually  glorify  Him.'* 

Dr.  Doddridge  once  exerted  himself  to  pro- 
cure the  pardon  of  a  man  condemned  to  die. 
When  he  succeeded  and  hastened  to  the  cell 
with  the  glad  news,  and  the  prison  door  was 
flung  open,  the  poor  man  cast  himself  to  the 

'  James,  ii.  IT.  2  Mat,  v.  15. 

"  Stier,  "Words  orthf  Tjorrl  Jesns."       *  Mat.,  xii.  34. 

^  Mat.,  V.  U-ia. 


BLIND   BARTIMEUS.  245 

earth,  and  clasping  the  feet  of  his  deliverer, 
exclaimed,  "  Every  drop  of  my  blood  thanks 
you,  for  you  have  saved  them  all  I" 

Such  full-voiced  expression  of  the  heart's 
gratitude  was  heard  from  the  men  also  whom 
Christ  delivered  from  their  plagues.  The 
dumb  began  to  sing,  the  lame  to  leap,  and 
all  to  testify,  in  some  open,  lively  way,  how 
thankful  they  were  for  such  mercies.  Only 
once  do  we  hear  that  mournful  question  and 
complaint,  Were  there  not  ten  cleansed  ?  but 
where  are  the  nine?  There  are  not  found 
that  returned  to  give  glory  to  God,  save  this 
stranger !  * 

The  piety  of  the  primitive  church  was  of 
the  same  cheerful,  out-spoken  type.  And 
when  we  go  back  to  the  more  ancient  ages, 
and  climb  the  hill  of  Zion,  what  bursts  of 
jubilant  music  greet  us  !  What  ringing  of 
harps,  what  pealing  of  organs,  with  the  voice 
of  psalms,  like  the  swell  of  the  sea  !  Hearken : 
Come  and  hear,  all  ye  that  fear  God,  and  I 
will  declare  what  He  hath  done  for  my  soul." 
I  will  bless  the  Lord  at  all  times  ;  His  praise 

'  Luke,  xvii.  17,  18.  '  Psalm  Ixvi,  16. 

21* 


24(3  BLIXD    BARTI.MEUS. 

sliall  continually  be  in  my  mouth.  O  magnity 
the  Lord  with  me,  and  let  us  exalt  His  name 
together  !  '  0  sing  unto  the  Lord  a  new  song ! 
Sing  unto  the  Lord  !  Bless  His  name  ! "  For 
it  is  a  good  thing  to  give  thanks  unto  the 
Lord,  and  to  sing  praises  unto  Thy  name,  0 
most*  High !  for  it  is  pleasant,  and  praise  is 
comely.^  Let  the  children  of  Zion  be  joyful 
in  their  King  I  * 

Alas,  how  many  who  profess  to  be  Zion's 
children  in  our  day,  seem  even  ashamed  of 
their  King  !  They  have  no  glad  sto-ry  to  tell 
of  His  dealings  with  their  souls,  no  harp  to 
sweep  in  His  praise,  no  apostrophes  to  heaven 
and  earth,  to  field  and  flood  and  the  saints  of 
God,  challenging  them  to  mingle  their  voices 
in  celebrating  redeeming  grace. 

But  why  do  I  speak  of  harps  and  apostro- 
phes ?  There  are  men  and  women  who  pro- 
fess to  have  been  healed  by  the  Lord  Jesus  of 
their  soul's  deadly  malady,  and  yet  can  hard- 
ly bring  themselves  to  speak  a  word  in  His 
praise  in  any  conjpan3\    Is  He  evil-spoken  of? 

'  Ps.  xxxiv.  1,  3.  "  Ps.  xcvi.  1,  2. 

s  Ps.  xcii.  1 ;  cxlvii.  1.  ■•  Ps.  cxlix.  2. 


BLIND   BAIMIMEUS.  247 

They  will  not  defend  Him.  Is  He  well- 
spoken  of?  They  have  no  word  to  add.  Is 
He  not  spoken  of  at  all  ?  He  never  will  be, 
if  they  must  begin.  The  beauty,  excellency 
and  glory  of  His  person,  offices  and  work ; 
all  His  condescension,  grace  and  tenderness ; 
all  the  events  of  His  life,  all  the  sufferings  of 
His  death ;  all  His  exaltation,  reign  and  sec- 
ond coming,  seem  not  to  be  enough  to  loosen 
their  tongues,  or  give  them  anything  at  all 
to  say. 

Nay,  more :  they  see  their  blind  neighbors 
groping  their  way  down  to  endless  night,  but 
cannot  go  to  them  and  recommend  the  Hea- 
venly Physician.  If  an  earthly  physician  is 
needed,  they  are  at  once  voluble  and  bold. 
They  can  tell  you  how  kind  he  is,  what  cures 
he  has  wrought,  and  where  he  is  to  be  found. 
But  let  the  soul  be  in  danger,  and  they  are 
dumb. 

Shall  I  go  further  ?  Yes,  there  are  fathers 
and  mothers,  w'ho  are  ashamed  to  tell  the 
story  of  their  healing  to  their  own  poor,  blind 
sons  and  daughters,  who  have  inherited  from 
them  the   dreadful   tcoo.      They  pitv  them  ; 


248  fiLlND    BARTIMEUS. 

thej  know  they  will  perish  if  they  come  not 
to  Christ;  they  will  be  glad  if  "the  minister" 
will  speak  to  them  ;  but  they  cannot.  They 
are  ashamed  to  be  heard  by  their  own  families 
speaking  to  Jesus.  Even  in  the  sanctuary  of 
home  they  dare  not  call  their  offspring  about 
them,  and  kneeling  before  His  feet,  bless  Him, 
in  simplest  words,  for  His  mercy,  and  then 
cry,  "  Lord,  look  now  upon  these  poor  blind 
children,  and  heal  them  !" 

Can  we  wonder  that  God  withholds  the 
joy  of  His  salvation'  from  such  base  cow- 
ardice ?  Oh,  let  us  wonder  that  He  withholds 
His  wrath  !  Blessed  Jesus,  if  Thou  didst  die 
for  me,  shall  I  not  live  for  Thee?  If  Thou 
didst  suffer  for  me,  shall  I  not  speak  for  Thee  ? 
H  Thou  wast  not  ashamed  of  my  shame,  shall 
I  be  ashamed  of  thy  glory  ?  If  my  sins  once 
laid  on  Thee  made  Thee  dumb,  like  a  sheep 
before  her  shearers,''  shall  not  Thy  graces 
wrought  in  me,  open  my  lips  that  my  mouth 
may  show  forth  Thy  praise,  and  my  tongue 
sing  aloud  of  Thy  righteousness  ?  ^ 

»  Ps.  li.  12.  ^  Is.,  liii.  6,  7.  3  pg.  li.  14,  15. 


XII. 

"  And  all  the  people,  when  they  saw  it,  gave  praise  unto 
God." 

SINGLE  beam  of  light  becomes  a 
star  on  the  bosom  of  a  thousand  drops 
of  the  morning.  The  song  of  one  is 
''^  followed  by  the  chorus  of  many.  The 
rejoicing  of  Bartimeus  has  made  the 
highway  to  Jerusalem  like  the  garden  of  the 
Lord;  joy  and  gladness  are  found  therein, 
thanksgiving  and  the  voice  of  melody.'  Just 
now  it  was  like  the  valley  of  Baca,  that  is,  the 
Vale  of  Tears  or  Lamentation  ;  but  it  has  be- 
come a  well — a  fountain  of  universal  joy.'' 
When  God  brought  David  out  of  the  horrible 
pit,  out  of  the  miry  clay,  and  set  his  feet  upon 
a  rock,  and  established  his  goings,  then  He  put 
a  new  song  into  his  mouth,  even  praise  unto 
our  God.  And  what  then  ?  Did  the  blessed 
work  stand  alone?  Nay,  many  saw,  and 
feared,  and  trusted  in  the  Lord.^ 

'  Is.,  li.  3.  2  ps.  ixxxir.  6.  '  Ps.  xl.  1-3. 


250  BLIND   BAETIMEUS. 

In  wliat  mournful  contrast  was  David's  ex- 
perience in  that  saddest  year  of  his  life — the 
year  of  unconfessed  guilt  and  -a  stupid  con- 
science !  He  no  more  drew  water  with  joy 
out  of  the  wells  of  salvation/  Day  and  night 
God's  hand  was  heavy  upon  him,  and  his 
moisture  was  turned  into  the  drought  of  sum- 
mer,^ Eust  gathered  on  his  harp-strings,  and 
the  palace  no  more  resounded  with  his  morn- 
ing and  evening  song. 

And  what  was  the  result  ?  It  was  then  as 
now.  The  guilty  Christian  is  the  dumb  Chris- 
tian, and  the  dumb  Christian  is  useless.  Guilt 
paralyzed  his  tongue  and  sealed  his  lips.  He 
could  not  teach  transgressors  the  ways  of 
God,  and  sinners  were  no  more  converted  by 
his  instrumentahty.' 

At  length  the  voice  of  God  broke  the  dis- 
mal silence.  By  His  prophet  and  His  provi- 
dence,* He  both  rebuked  and  chastened  him,' 
until  he  came  bending  and  weeping  to  the 
altar,  and  laid  on  it  his  broken  spiritr-that 
ever  acceptable  sacrifice,  yea  all  sacrifices  in 

"  Is.,  xu.  3.  ■  Ps.  xxxii.  4.  =  Ps.  li  13-15. 

*  2  Sam.,  xii,  1-23.         5  Rev.,  iii.  19. 


BLIND  BARTIMEUS.  251 

oire.'  In  the  fiftj-first  Psalm  you  may 
read  his  confession,  and  in  the  thirty-second, 
the  history  of  the  whole  matter — the  guilty 
silence,  the  sore  chastening,  the  ingenuous 
acknowledgment,  the  free  pardon,  and  the 
overflowing  thankfulness,  confidence  and  joy. 
Nor  does  he  fail  to  express  his  assurance  that 
the  usual  result  shall  follow  j  that,  because  of 
his  forgiveness  and  blessedness,  so  obtained, 
every  one  that  is  godly  shall  be  encouraged 
to  pray. 

Ebenezer !  Hitherto  hath  the  Lord  helped 
us.*  Let  gracious  souls,  who  have  fallen  and 
been  lifted  up,  who  have  sinned  and  found 
pardon,  who  have  wrestled  hard  and  over- 
come, be  led  to  solemn  and  timely  declara- 
tions of  their  Eedeemer's  grace.  It  is  at  once 
a  debt  of  love  and  a  deed  of  mercy. 

"  Some  forlorn  and  shipwrecked  brother 
Seeing,  shall  take  heart  again." 

Blessed  Paul  says  he  was  before  a  blas- 
phemer and  a  persecutor  and  injurious ;  but  his 
Lord's  grace  was  abundant ;  and  it  is  a  faithful 

'  Ps.  li.  It.  M  Sam.,  viL  !2 


252  BLIND   BARTIMEUS. 

saying,  and  worthy  of  all  acceptation,  that 
Christ  Jesus  came  into  the  world  to  save  sin- 
ners,  of  whom  Paul  felt  himself  to  be  chief. 
Howbeit,  for  this  cause  he  obtained  mercy, 
that  in  him  first  Jesus  Christ  might  show 
forth  all  long-suffering  for  a  pattern  to  them 
which  should  hereafter  believe  on  Him  to 
everlasting  life,* 

This  is  one  great  end  of  a  public  profession 
of  religion.  We  confess  Christ  that  we  may 
commend  Him.  The  Church  is  a  golden 
candlestick,  which  Christ  has  set  on  high  to 
give  light  to  a  dark  world.''  When  a  new 
light  is  kindled,  how  shall  it  not  covet  to 
be  set  there  too?  Christ  has  commanded  it, 
and  can  we  refuse?  He  means  it  for  beauty 
and  for  order ;  for  our  honor  and  defence ;  for 
a  guide  to  the  lost,  an  encouragement  to  the 
fearful,  a  testimony  and  rebuke  to  the  carnal ; 
for  the  comfort  of  the  faithful;  and  for  His 
own  glory. 

Yet  let  us  not  exalt  oui'  grateful  telling 
above  His  gracious  working.  If  the  multi- 
tude had  not  seen  what  Jesus  did,  little  would 

'  1  Tim.,  i.  13-16.  »  Rev.,  i.  20. 


BLIND   BARTIMEUS.  258 

they  have  minded  what  Bartimeus  said. 
Their  song  began  quicker  and  rose  higher 
for  his  joyful  key-note ;  still,  it  was  of  the 
miracle  they  sung.  They  waited  only  for 
proof  that  he  actually  saw,  and  when  his 
rapturous  outburst  gave  that^  their  hearts 
flowed  over.  And  so  our  professions  are 
nothing,  except  as  true  displays  of  Christ's 
work.  Their  virtue  is  in  their  verity — theii 
transparency,  suffering  the  grace  and  power 
of  God  to  shine  through  them.  They  bring 
glory  to  God  as  they  are  clear  instances,  and 
so  proofs,  of  His  Almighty,  healing  love. 
• 

How  profoundly  interesting  and  suggestive 
is  this  whole  scene  !  Jesus  has  just  wrought 
a  work  in  which  He  has  destroyed  one  of  the 
works  of  the  devO.  redeemed  a  wretched  man 
from  his  captivity  and  torment,  and  thereby 
brought  glory  to  the  Father ;  and  now  we 
behold  Him  serenely  walking  at  the  head  of  a 
vast  multitude,  who  fill  the  air  with  acclama- 
tions at  the  gracious  deed. 

It  is  an  epitome  of  His  work  on  earth,  and 

a  foreshowing  of  His  reward  in  heaven. 
59 


254  BLIND  BAETIMEUS. 

He  came  down  from  heaven,  not  to  do  His 
own  will,  but  the  will  of  Him  that  sent  Him/ 
This  was  His  meat, — that  without  which  He 
could  not  live.*  He  sought  not  His  own 
glory.^  His  Incarnation  was  for  three  great 
ends — the  destruction  of  the  devil  and  his 
works;*  the  salvation  of  the  lost;*  and  the 
manifestation  of  the  Father/  But  the  last 
was  the  great  end,  to  which  both  of  the  others 
were  subordinate.  His  whole  life,  His  whole 
death  breathed  out  this  prayer,  Father,  glorify 
Thy  name !  He  Himself  announces  this  as 
the  sum  of  all  He  had  done  on  earth.  It  was 
on  the  night  of  His  betrayal,  but  a  few  days 
after  this  triumphal  march  from  Jericho,  but 
a  few  hours  before  His^  death.  Then  the 
thirty-three  years  of  His  life  on  earth  passed 
in  solemn  review  before  Him.  They  were 
indeed  covered  with  obloquy  a'ud  ignominy, 
but  they  presented  nothing  for  regret.  No  re- 
pentance mingled  with  the  contemplation,  but 
rather,  calm,  deep,  sublime  satisfaction.     Sur- 

'  John,  vi.  38.  2  John,  iv.  34. 

^  John,  viii.  50.  "  Heb.,  ii.  14;  1  John,  iu.  8 

'  Mat.,  xvhi.  11.  "  John,  i.  18;  xii.  27   ?&- 


BLIND  BARTIMEUS.  255 

rounded  by  chosen  witnesses  of  His  work  and 
representatives  of  His  Church,  He  lifted  up 
His  eyes  to  heaven,  and  exclaimed,  I  liave 
glorified  Thee  on  the  earth,  I  have  finished 
the  work  which  Thou  gavest  Me  to  do/  It 
was  for  this  He  labored,  for  this  He  suffered ; 
for  this  He  saved,  for  this  He  destroyed.  Zeal 
for  His  Father's  glory  absorbed  Him,^  con- 
sumed Him,'  and  yet  sustained  Him/  And  it 
was  only  when  this  end  was  accomplished,  as 
far  as  v/as  possible  in  His  estate  of  humilia- 
tion, that  He  thought  of  His  own  giorj^,  and 
prayed  to  be  restored  to  it — His  essential, 
eternal,  incommunicable  glory,  that  which  He 
veiled  so  deeply  when  He  undertook  His 
lowly  errand.  And  now,  0  Father,  He  prays, 
glorify  Thou  Me  with  Thine  own  Self,  with 
the  glory  which  I  had  with  Thee  before  the 
world  was  !*  O  what  a  life  was  His  !  a  whole 
consecration,  all  worship,  all  praise,  one  golden 
censer,  full  of  divinest  incense,  ever  burn- 
ing and  sending .  forth  its  fragrant  clouds  to 
heaven  I 

»  John,  xvii.  4.  ^  John,  iv.  34.  '  John,  il  17. 

*  John,  xii.  27,  28.  '  John,  xvii.  5. 


256  BLIND   BARTIMEUS. 

Finallj,  from  this  highway  to  Jerusalem 
and  the  hallelujahs  of  its  festal  multitudes, 
our  thoughts  are  borne  forward  and  upward. 

"  There  all  the  heavenly  hosts  are  seen. 
In  shining  ranks  they  move  I" 

Bartimeus  is  there.  Yea,  every  one  of  all 
that  countless  throng '  was  once  a  poor  Bar- 
timeus, blind,  wretched,  ruined,  the  helpless 
captive  of  Satan,  marred  and  accursed,  until 
Jesus  passed  by  to  pity  and  to  heal.  And  so 
each  one  is  in  turn  the  subject  of  the  song  and 
joy  of  all  the  rest. 

The  multitude  is  there.  Now  there  is  no 
chiding  nor  strife  among  them.  They  are 
without  spot,  or  wrinkle  or  any  such  tbing.- 
They  "shine  in  the  light  of  God,"  and  have 
been  made  perfect  in  love.''  They  are  all 
clothed  in  bright  raiment  of  holiness  and 
righteousness,  and  can  look  full  upon  the  sun- 
shine of  the  Throne.  They  wear  crowns  upon 
their  heads, ^  and  have  harps  and  palms  in  their 
hands.*     This  is  the  sacramental  host  of  God's 

»  Eph.,  V.  27.  =  1  John,  iv.  18. 

!>  1  Pet,  V.  4.  *  Rev.,  viL  9    xiv.  2. 


BLIND   BARTIMEUS.  257 

elect,  the  general  assembly  and  church  of  the 
first  born.'  An  innumerable  company  of  an- 
gels' is  also  with  them,  rejoicing  in  their  joy, 
helping  them  to  praise. 

And  Jesus  is  there.  What  would  all  this 
be  without  Him?  Nay,  without  Him,  none 
of  this  could  be.  The  music  would  hush  and 
the  light  go  out.  The  crown  would  fall  from 
the  head,  and  the  gold  become  dim.'  Silence, 
coldness  and  death  would  cover  the  heavenly 
plains.  But  there  He  is,  walking  at  the  head 
of  all  the  glorious  company.  He  has  loved 
them  with  an  everlasting  love,*  and  redeemed 
them  at  an  infinite  cost,"  and  now  He  sees  of 
the  travail  of  His  soul  and  is  satisfied."  It  is 
finished!  He  presents  them  before  His  Fa- 
ther ;  "  Behold  I,  and  the  children  which  God 
hath  given  Me !'" 

"  0  long  expected  Day  begin  !" 


I  Heb.,  xii.  23. 

2  Heb.,  xiL  22. 

3  Lam.,  v%  1. 

*  Jen,  xxxL  3. 

»  L  Pet,  i.  18,  19. 

'  Feb.,  iL  13. 

THE   END. 
9 

"  Isa.,  liii.  11. 

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